KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia should abandon ambitions of hosting the FIFA World Cup for now until fundamental issues surrounding stadium infrastructure and pitch quality are resolved, says Johor Darul Ta’zim owner Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
However, he said Johor could eventually position itself as a potential host in the future if sustained investment and development of sporting facilities continue.
Speaking at the Orang Muda Johor programme in Muar yesterday, Tunku Ismail said the state already has strong economic backing and improving sports infrastructure, but is still not at the level required for global tournaments of such scale.
“Perhaps in Johor, God willing. With the economic resources that we have, we can continue upgrading our stadiums. But at this moment, I don’t think we’re there yet,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of Malaysia hosting the World Cup, he was blunt in his assessment.
“As for hosting the World Cup in Malaysia, I can honestly say — forget about it,” he said.
He stressed that long-standing maintenance issues, particularly involving playing surfaces, remain unresolved despite repeated calls for improvement.
“Why do I say that? Because for 13 years I’ve been asking for the grass to be changed, and until today it still hasn’t been done. Yet people are dreaming about hosting the World Cup. It’s better to forget about it,” he added.
His comments came in response to comparisons with Qatar, which successfully hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup despite being much smaller in size.
Tunku Ismail noted that Johor already has several advantages, including modern facilities and experience hosting international events such as the 2025 Influencer World Cup.
Still, he emphasised that continued upgrades to stadium infrastructure and pitch conditions are essential before Johor can realistically aspire to host an event of the World Cup’s magnitude.
The remarks also highlight broader concerns about the state of football infrastructure in Malaysia, where venue management, maintenance standards and pitch quality have long been cited as areas needing improvement.
For now, Tunku Ismail believes Johor may have the foundations to aim higher, but Malaysia must first address its basic sporting infrastructure before entertaining any World Cup ambitions. – June 21, 2026