KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia remains one of only two countries in Asia where professional football clubs are not members of the national football association, a structural gap that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) believes must be addressed to improve governance and representation in the sport.
AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John said the absence of professional clubs within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) membership structure has created a mismatch between who governs football and who actually operates elite-level competitions in the country.
Speaking in Scoop’s Sport Check podcast, Windsor said professional clubs, which form the backbone of domestic leagues, must be given a formal voice in deciding football leadership and policy direction.
“Those who are playing football must form part of the membership,” he said.
“That is the requirement by FIFA anyway. You have to bring them together. A voice must be given to all those who are involved in football.”
Windsor said Malaysia and Sri Lanka are currently the only two Asian nations where professional clubs are not integrated into the national association’s membership structure, a situation he described as outdated in modern football governance.
“If you look at the region, Malaysia is one of only two countries in Asia where professional clubs are not members of the association,” he said.
“The clubs are the ones playing elite football, but they are sitting outside the system. That is a mismatch.”
He stressed that this separation has led to a disconnect between governance structures and football operations, particularly in league development and player progression.
“That was the issue. Football associations are supposed to govern and develop the game, but elite football is played by the clubs,” he said.
“So you need to bring them to the same table because what happens in the league has a direct impact on national development.”
Windsor added that professional clubs should not only be included in membership structures but must also have a role in electing leadership within the national association, ensuring that decision-making reflects the realities of modern football.
“It’s not just about being part of the system,” he said.
“They must have a voice in choosing who leads football. Because they are the ones running the competition, developing players, and investing in the game.”
He said aligning governance structures with modern football practices would strengthen accountability and improve long-term development outcomes.
“When you include the people who are actually running elite football, you create a more balanced and effective system,” he said.
The AFC-led governance audit of FAM, presented during the association’s extraordinary congress last week, identified structural issues in membership composition and recommended reforms to create a more inclusive and representative football ecosystem.
Among the proposals were expanding membership to include professional clubs, strengthening committee structures, and improving decision-making frameworks to better reflect the modern football landscape.
Windsor said the reforms were not unique to Malaysia but reflected global standards in football governance, where clubs play a central role in shaping the direction of the sport.
“This is not something new. It is how modern football is structured. Clubs are part of the decision-making process, not separate from it,” he said.
He added that bringing professional clubs into the system would ultimately help align Malaysia with international best practices and improve competitiveness at both domestic and regional levels. – June 15, 2026