KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is continuing to attract corporate interest despite a turbulent period, with the national governing body revealing that it has received numerous offers from individuals and companies keen to play a role in rebuilding Malaysian football.
The interest comes amid mounting scrutiny over FAM, particularly following the controversy surrounding seven heritage players and the findings of an internal audit by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which highlighted several shortcomings in the association’s governance.
FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan said the association had received a steady stream of enquiries from individuals and corporate organisations willing to contribute their expertise, resources and experience towards restoring the country’s football fortunes.
He said the interest extended beyond corporate partnerships, with numerous professionals also submitting their resumes in response to FAM’s efforts to fill positions on its standing committees.
“There have been encouraging developments, with many people reaching out to us and expressing their willingness to help. Even at the professional level, when we were looking to appoint members to FAM’s standing committees, we received a large number of resumes from individuals who wanted to be involved.
“Of course, we cannot accept every offer that comes our way. We have to be selective and assess what the association actually needs. For certain positions, we may only consider one or two suitable candidates, depending on their qualifications and expertise.
“Nevertheless, this shows that there are still many people out there, from different professional backgrounds and levels, who genuinely want to contribute towards rebuilding Malaysian football through FAM,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Ab Ghani, who also serves as Malaysia Football League (MFL) president, said the response reflected the continued willingness of external parties to work with FAM despite the challenges and controversies surrounding the association.
The development also challenges perceptions that FAM has been losing its appeal among corporate organisations, particularly following concerns over its governance and the potential impact on sponsors’ confidence in maintaining partnerships with the national governing body.
With fresh interest emerging from both the corporate sector and professional circles, FAM could potentially broaden its support base while securing additional financial resources and expertise to strengthen its football development programmes.
A notable development came last week when FAM signed a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with YTL Group, covering cooperation and sponsorship, in what represents a positive step towards rebuilding its corporate partnerships.
The agreement could pave the way for further private-sector involvement, with FAM hoping to attract more companies to establish strategic partnerships and contribute to the long-term development of Malaysian football.
While the association still has significant governance and credibility issues to address, the willingness of individuals and companies to come forward suggests that FAM has not entirely lost the confidence of potential partners as it seeks to rebuild and move forward. – November 2, 2026