KUALA LUMPUR – The credibility of the Super League should not be measured by the number of teams competing, but by whether every club can complete the season without financial or administrative turmoil.
Veteran sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli believes the Malaysian Football League’s (MFL) decision to retain a 12-team format for the 2026-2027 season is a pragmatic one, provided all participating clubs are financially stable and professionally managed.
“There is little value in having more teams if the league is later disrupted by unpaid wages and management problems.
“If all 12 clubs are stable and able to meet their commitments throughout the season, that is far better than having a larger number of teams that eventually create difficulties.
“Even a league with 10 or eight clubs can function effectively if every team is financially secure. Sustainability is what matters most,” he told Scoop.
Pekan said past experience has shown that a larger league does not necessarily translate into a healthier competition, with several clubs previously struggling to meet their financial obligations to players and officials.
The senior lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Faculty of Sports Science and Recreation said some clubs had entered previous seasons claiming to have strong sponsorship backing and sufficient financial resources, only for those assurances to fail to materialise.
“We have seen clubs announce that they had sponsors and sufficient funding, but those promises did not always hold up.
“There is a difference between potential funding and committed funding. Potential funding can disappear before the season ends, while confirmed funding provides greater security until the final match.
“That is why the priority should be ensuring every club is financially stable, competitive and capable of fulfilling its responsibilities throughout the campaign,” he added.
MFL recently confirmed that 12 clubs will compete in the 2026-2027 Super League season, which is scheduled to kick off on Aug 21.
The confirmed clubs are defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kuching City FC, Selangor FC, Kuala Lumpur City FC, Terengganu FC, Star City FC (formerly Immigration FC), Negeri Sembilan FC, Penang FC, Sabah FC, Brunei DPMM FC and Melaka FC.
The final berth will be decided on July 16 when the First Instance Body meets to determine PDRM FC’s status.
PDRM were granted a licence with sanctions and given until July 15 to submit additional documentation relating to financial and infrastructure requirements.
Should PDRM fail to meet the conditions, Kelantan Red Warrior FC, who finished fourth in last season’s A1 Semi-Pro League, are considered the leading candidates to take the vacant place.
UM Damansara United FC and Bunga Raya FC have also submitted applications and supporting documents in a bid to secure promotion to the Super League. – July 15, 2026