KUALA LUMPUR — The National Training Centre (NTC) in Precinct 5, Putrajaya is ready to welcome Harimau Malaya, with the national squad set to begin preparations at the new facility ahead of the 2026 FIFA Asean Cup, which kicks off on September 25.
The move will give the national team a dedicated training base equipped with purpose-built pitches, ending its long-standing reliance on different venues for training sessions.
Speaking to Scoop, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman said all facilities at the NTC, including its training pitches, had been completed and were ready for use by the national squad.
“Harimau Malaya will train at the new facility, the NTC in Putrajaya, as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA Asean Cup, which begins on September 25.
“All the facilities, including the training pitches, are ready, and I see no issues with the national team using the facility,” he said when contacted.
The move to the NTC is expected to provide greater stability to Harimau Malaya’s preparations, allowing the squad to train at a dedicated facility rather than move between venues based on availability and scheduling.
The NTC was developed as the country’s national football training centre, with Phase One featuring three training pitches with different playing surfaces—Bermuda grass, hybrid grass and synthetic turf.
The RM69 million project also received about RM24 million in funding from world football governing body FIFA for its initial development.
With the facility now ready to accommodate the senior national team, the NTC marks an important step towards establishing a more professional and structured training environment for Malaysian football.
The availability of different playing surfaces will also allow players to adapt to varying pitch conditions, an important aspect of preparation for international competitions where playing surfaces can differ significantly.
Beyond Harimau Malaya, the NTC is also expected to serve as a wider development hub for Malaysian football, potentially accommodating youth and women’s squads, as well as grassroots development programmes in the future.
However, development of the NTC does not end with Phase One, with Phase Two set to further expand the facility’s capabilities.
Phase Two is expected to involve the construction of a 1,682.8-square-metre building, funded by a RM45 million allocation from the government through the Youth and Sports Ministry.
The proposed building will house facilities including a gymnasium, rehabilitation rooms, players’ changing rooms and a multipurpose hall, providing a more comprehensive environment for national teams to train and prepare.
With Harimau Malaya now set to make the NTC its training base ahead of the FIFA Asean Cup, the facility could represent a significant shift in how the national team prepares for major international assignments. — Sept 2, 2026