KUALA LUMPUR – The lack of clear leadership within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has raised questions over who should be held accountable for decisions affecting supporters, including the controversial increase in ticket prices for Malaysia’s ASEAN Cup semi-final against Vietnam, senior sports analyst Sadek Mustaffa said.
Speaking to Scoop, Sadek said the absence of a clearly identifiable leader at FAM made it difficult to determine who should answer to supporters over the decision to raise ticket prices for Sunday’s first-leg clash at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras.
“It is difficult to say who should be held responsible because there does not appear to be a clear leader within FAM who can be held accountable for this decision.
“Those who remain within FAM seem to be insulated from the consequences, and that creates the perception that nobody is really answerable to the supporters,” he said.
Sadek was responding to FAM’s decision to increase the cheapest adult ticket from RM30 during the group stage to RM50 for the semi-final — a 67 per cent increase that has drawn criticism from supporters.
FAM has defended the hike, citing higher costs related to match organisation, security, venue management and other operational requirements.
The association has also urged supporters to pack the stadium and rally behind Harimau Malaya against defending champions Vietnam.
Sadek said supporters ultimately had the right to decide whether the higher prices were acceptable.
“Supporters have the right to buy the tickets or not to buy them. That is their choice.
“But FAM also has to understand that these are the same supporters who have continued to back the national team. They cannot simply be viewed as customers who will continue buying tickets regardless of the price,” he said.
He also questioned whether the price increase could provide FAM with an opportunity to generate additional revenue as the association deals with the financial implications of sanctions imposed by FIFA over the falsification of documents involving seven heritage players.
“This is a business decision and one of the opportunities available to FAM to generate money, particularly when it has to pay the FIFA fine.
“But if that is part of the consideration, FAM should be transparent about it. Supporters deserve to know why the prices have increased and where the additional revenue will go,” he said.
Sadek said the controversy also highlighted the limited influence supporters have over FAM’s leadership, as they do not have a direct role in electing the association’s office-bearers.
“FAM has the authority to make these decisions, while supporters are not the ones who vote in the leadership elections.
“Their main avenue to express their dissatisfaction is through their decision to continue buying tickets or stay away from the stadium.
“That is why FAM should not underestimate the reaction from supporters,” he said.
Sadek added that the backlash over ticket prices was unlikely to have consequences as serious as those arising from FIFA’s investigation into the player-documentation controversy.
“FAM may feel that whatever decision it makes, it will have to face the consequences. But the consequences of a ticket price increase are not as serious as being investigated and sanctioned by FIFA.
“That is why there is a perception that FAM may not be too concerned about the current criticism.
“If FAM wants supporters to continue filling the stadiums and backing Harimau Malaya, it must also show that it respects their concerns,” he said. – August 13, 2026