KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is putting quality ahead of quantity with the introduction of a qualifying round for the 2026 Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL), aimed at raising competition standards and ensuring more balanced contests.
The country’s premier youth hockey tournament runs until July 19, with only teams that meet the required competitive standard earning a place in the league.
MHC Competitions Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Anil Sandhu said the initiative was implemented through playoff rounds for the Men’s Division Two and Women’s Division before the start of the main competition.
“The playoffs were held from June 9 to 16 and involved the lowest-ranked teams from last season, as well as new teams seeking entry into the league this year.
“We are not focused solely on the number of participating teams. What matters most is the quality of the teams competing.
“We want to avoid situations where teams lose motivation after suffering heavy defeats, as has happened in previous seasons,” he said when contacted.
Anil explained that the governing body wants to ensure young players are exposed to balanced and competitive matches as part of their development before progressing to higher levels of the sport.
In Division One, nine teams will battle for the title, including newly promoted sides SSTMI Junior and Negeri Sembilan, both of whom secured promotion after impressive performances last season.
They will be looking to challenge defending champions SSTMI Thunderbolts, who once again enter the competition as one of the favourites for the crown.
Division Two features 24 teams split into two zones, with 16 teams competing in the Central Group and eight in the Northern Group.
The Women’s Division will see 16 teams contesting the championship.
Among the teams attracting attention are former Division One outfits MSNS/PHS/SSMS from Sabah and Akademi Hoki MBPJ, both relegated last season. MSNS/PHS/SSMS will compete in the Northern Group, while Akademi Hoki MBPJ have been placed in the Central Group.
To ensure the smooth running of the competition, MHC has appointed 44 technical officials and 35 umpires to oversee matches throughout the tournament.
A total of 10 venues across the country will host this year’s competition, with the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, TNB Uniten Hockey Stadium and UniKL Bangi Hockey Stadium serving as the main venues in the Klang Valley.
Other venues include Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium in Kuantan, Seremban 2 Hockey Stadium, Bertam Hockey Stadium in Penang, Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Stadium in Ipoh and MBMB Bukit Serindit Stadium in Melaka.
The remaining venues are the SDBL Hockey Ground and Pahang Hockey SSTMI, both in Johor.
With a more competitive format and a stronger emphasis on quality, MHC hopes the 2026 MJHL will provide the ideal platform to nurture the next generation of talented players capable of strengthening the national team in the years ahead. – June 17, 2026