Malaysia Super League


The Malaysia Super League, known simply as the Super League, is the men's top professional football division of the football league system">Football in Malaysia">football league system. Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership, now known as the Malaysian Football League, the Malaysia Super League is contested by 13 clubs. Until 2022, it operated on a system of promotion and relegation with the Malaysia Premier League, with the two lowest-placed teams relegated and replaced by the promoted top two teams in that division. It has replaced the former top-tier league, Liga Perdana 1, which ran from 1998 to 2003.
37 clubs have competed since the inception of the Malaysia Super League in 2004, with eight winning the title. The current champions are Johor Darul Ta'zim, which won their eleventh title in the 2024–25 edition.
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History

Origins

The Malaysia Super League was formed in 2004 following a decision by the Football Association of Malaysia to privatise the league. The inaugural season started on 14 February 2004. As a result, the Malaysia Super League Sdn Bhd was created to oversee the marketing aspects of the league, but it was not fully privatised.
The league has seen numerous changes to its format from eight clubs, at one point 14 clubs and now 12 clubs and then back to 14 clubs to accommodate changes to the league rules and withdrawal of certain clubs from the league in order to create a competitive environment and professional management among the clubs.

Foundation

The Malaysian League was revamped to be a fully professional league in 2004 which coined the creation of a new top-tier division, the Malaysia Super League. Between 2004 and 2006, the professional football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels and two groups:
The new top-tier Malaysia Super League was competed by eight teams while there were 16 teams competing in the new Malaysia Premier League which was divided into 2 groups. While there were only eight teams in the league prior to the 2006–07 season, positional movements were radical. Successive losses would condemn clubs to a relegation dogfight. Similarly, successive wins would put a team in contention for the title. The Malaysia Super League had gone through two format changes in its short history spanning three years. The Football Association of Malaysia decided to expand the Malaysia Super League to accommodate 14 teams instead of eight, which was the number of league teams during the Malaysia Super League's first three seasons. But the plan was held off when some of the teams withdrew from the league due to financial reasons. The 2009 to 2012 seasons were the only seasons that the league would have 14 teams, with all teams playing each other twice culminating in 26 matches per team and 182 matches in total.
For the 2007 season, the Malaysia Premier League was combined into one division rather than two groups and in 2008 the Malaysia FAM League was revamped to a league format instead of a knockout competition format, with the latter itself replaced by a new third tier called the Malaysia M3 League in 2019:

Development

In 2015, the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership was created in the course of the privatisation of the Malaysian football league system. The partnership saw all 24 teams in the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League involved, the Football Association of Malaysia as the Managing Partner and MP & Silva as a special partner to become stakeholders in the company.
The FMLLP owned, operated and ran the Malaysia Super League. Besides that, other competitions in Malaysian football were also under its jurisdiction, which include the Malaysia Premier League, the Malaysia FA Cup, the Malaysia Cup, and the Piala Sumbangsih. It aimed to transform and move Malaysian football forward to another level.
More than a decade after the league's inception, a total of eight clubs have been crowned champions of the Malaysia Super League with Pahang being the first champions. Johor Darul Ta'zim have won the league 7 times while Kedah, Selangor, and Kelantan have won the league twice each; Pahang, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan and LionsXII have won it once. On 9 September 2016, Johor Darul Ta'zim became the first team to win the Malaysia Super League three times consecutively.

Format and regulations

The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from August to May, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for 26 matchdays, totaling 182 matches in the season. Most games are played on Saturdays, with a few games played during weekdays. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champions.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation existed between the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League. The two lowest placed teams in the Malaysia Super League were relegated to the Malaysia Premier League, and the top two teams from the Malaysia Premier League were promoted to the Malaysia Super League. Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history:

Qualification for AFC competitions

The champions of the Malaysia Super League qualify for following season's AFC Champions League group stages. The winners of the Malaysia FA Cup also qualify for the following season's AFC Champions League play-off slots. If a club lost during the play-off slots and were unable to reach group stages, the club will play in the AFC Cup play-off slots.
The number of places allocated to Malaysian clubs in AFC competitions is dependent upon the AFC Club Competitions Rankings, which are calculated based upon the performance of teams competing in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings in the previous 4 years. Currently, Malaysia are ranked 20th in the AFC Club Competitions Ranking.

Club licensing regulations

Every team in the Malaysia Super League must have a licence to play in the league, or else they are expelled completely from the Malaysian Football League. To obtain a licence, teams must be financially healthy and meet certain standards of conduct such as organizational management. As part of the privatisation efforts of the league, all clubs competing in the Malaysia Super League will be required to obtain FAM Club Licensing.
As a preliminary preparation towards the total privatisation of the league, FAM Club Licensing was created with the hope of it being enforced throughout the Malaysia Super League fully by the end of 2018 and in the Malaysia Premier League by end of 2019. There are significant benefits of being in the top-division and readiness of the club licensing:
  • A greater share of television broadcast licence revenues going to clubs.
  • Greater exposure through television and higher attendance levels to help clubs attract more lucrative sponsorships.
  • Clubs developing substantial financial muscle through the combination of television and gate revenues, sponsorship and marketing of their team brands. This allows clubs to attract and retain the best players from domestic and international sources and to construct first-class stadium facilities.
FAM also established independent decision-making bodies known as the First Instance Body and Appeals Body that would function as an assessment body and the issuer of the license. These two bodies are composed of members that meet the requirements and conditions set by the AFC Club Licensing Regulations mainly within the field of finance and legal matters.

Champions

36 clubs have played in the Malaysia Super League since its inception in 2004, up to and including the 2023 season.

Season-by-season records

YearChampionsRunners-upThird place
2004PahangPublic BankPerlis
2005PerlisPahangPerak
2005–06Negeri SembilanTMPerak
2006–07KedahPerak

Clubs

2025–26 season

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Former clubs

The following clubs that had competed in the Malaysia Super League or the top flight M-League before 2004 but are not competing in the Malaysia Super League during the 2025–26 season.
ClubCurrent leaguePosition
in 2024–25 season		First season in
top division		First season in
Super League		Seasons
in top
division		Seasons
in Super
League		Most recent
season in
Super League		Title winsLast
title wins
Sri PahangWithdraw7th in Super League198220044220201352004
PerakDissolve8th in Super League1982200440192024–2522003
Kedah Darul AmanA1 Semi-Pro League11th in Super League1982200433152024–2532007–08
KelantanDissolve14th in Super League198220092811202322012
Melaka UnitedDefunct 10th in Super League19822006–07207202211983
Sarawak UnitedMBSB Bank Championship11th in Super League202220221120220—
Petaling Jaya CityDefunct 9th in Super League201920194420220—
Perak IIMFL Cup—201820182220190—
PerlisBanned by FIFA and Defunct —19822004258201112005
Selangor IIMFL Cup8th in Premier League201220126620190—
UiTM UnitedAl Ikhsan Cup7th in Premier League202020202220210—
Terengganu IIMFL Cup4th in Premier League201020107720170—
Sarawak FADefunct —19822004298201711997

Privatisation of the league's football clubs

The Pahang Football Association became the first FAM affiliate to separate itself from the management of its football team with the formation of Sri Pahang which was now under the management of Pahang FC Sdn Bhd starting from the 2016 Malaysia Super League season onwards.
On 10 January 2016, Johor Football Association became the second FAM affiliate to follow suit when it separated itself from the management of its football team and changing its focus to state football development and the state league while the football team became its own entity as Johor Darul Ta'zim
On 1 November 2016, Melaka United Soccer Association became the third FAM affiliate to follow suit with the privatisation of its football team as a separate entity known as Melaka United for the 2017 Malaysia Super League season onwards.
On 6 November 2016, the FMLLP released an update regarding the club licensing progress where currently only Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. obtained the CLR while others were still in progress with 80 percent of the requirements completed. All member clubs in the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League were required to obtain the CLR with the Malaysia Super League clubs required to obtain it by September 2017 while the Malaysia Premier League clubs were given an extended period from 2019 to 2020 as some clubs had only met 50 percent of the requirements completed. The FMLLP had also suggested the FAM to ensure that clubs in the Malaysia FAM League to meet certain guidelines as this will allow them to get their license if they were to be promoted to the Malaysia Premier League.
In February 2017, the FMLLP released a statement regarding the official status of Johor Darul Ta'zim and Johor Darul Ta'zim II where Johor FA changed its name to Johor Darul Ta'zim II and became an official feeder club for Johor Darul Ta'zim when the feeder club agreement between both clubs were approved on 19 August 2016. Through the agreement, both clubs were allowed an additional four player transfer quota which can be used outside the normal transfer windows for players between both clubs. The feeder club was also required to register a minimum of 12 players under the age of 23 for its squad from 2017. A feeder club will be required to be in the league below the main club at all times which meant that Johor Darul Ta'zim II will never be allowed to get promoted even if the club managed to win the Malaysia Premier League. By 2018, the feeder club must field four players under the age of 23 in their first eleven during match day and the feeder club were allowed to play in other cup competitions where the parent club competed such as the Malaysia Cup and the Malaysia FA Cup.

Logo evolution

Since the inception of the league in 2004, numerous logos have been introduced for the league to reflect the sponsorships and naming rights. In its inaugural season, the Dunhill logo was incorporated as a title sponsor and it was the only season sponsored by the tobacco company before tobacco advertising was banned in the country.
From 2005 to 2010, the Malaysia Super League incorporated the TM brand as part of its logo as the title sponsor.
After the end of TM sponsorship's which lasted for seven consecutive years, FAM launched a new logo for the 2011 season where the league was partnered with Astro Media as a strategic partner for the Malaysia Super League's marketing. The Astro brand was only incorporated as part of the Malaysia Super League logo from 2012 until 2014.
In the 2015 season, no title sponsor was incorporated when the league was sponsored by MP & Silva. For the 2016 season a new logo was introduced as part of the takeover of the league by the FMLLP. In 2018 and 2019, the Malaysia Super League logo included the Unifi brand logo as part of the league's sponsorship deal.
The 2018 Malaysia Super League logo was formed as a part of a rebranding due to title sponsorship reasons with TM under the Unifi brand. TM's Unifi brand was the new title sponsor for the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Cup following an eight-year partnership deal worth RM480mil until 2025. But, TM pulled out as a sponsor at the end 2019 in order to save costs.
The Malaysia Super League trophy depicts a football on a pedestal, reflecting on the importance placed on winning the league. It costs roughly close to RM200,000 It inspires the teams to battle with all their might to get their name on the trophy.

Finances

The FMLLP introduced a merit-point system in the 2016 season. Points will be awarded based on a team's league position, progress in the Cup competitions and the number of live matches shown. A point in the season is worth RM41,000.
The money will be distributed twice per season, first a basic payment out of league sponsorship, and at the end of the season where all the merit-points have been calculated. For the 2016 season, the first basic payment consisted of a 30 percent cut out of RM70 Million in league sponsorship. The Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia is one of the active members in pursuing the issue of unpaid salaries.

Media coverage

Radio Televisyen Malaysia, a free-to-air channel, have been broadcasting domestic football even before the formation of the Malaysia Super League. They continued to broadcast the league most of the time exclusively until the end of 2010 where Astro Media were announced as sponsors and managed the broadcasting rights of the league for four years spanning from 2011 until the 2014 season. During this time, the league was broadcast to one of the cable channels of Astro Media, which was Astro Arena alongside the RTM for the free-to-air broadcast. In 2015, Astro lost the broadcasting rights for the league where the rights were given to Media Prima, a parent company of multiple free-to-air channels alongside RTM.
The broadcasting rights for the 2016 season were given to Media Prima for three years with a maximum of three games in each matchweek that was shown live on television. In 2018, TM bought the exclusive rights of the coverage until 2025. The coverage was aired by Unifi TV, iflix, Media Prima, and RTM.

Player records

All-time top scorers

RankPlayerMalaysia Super League clubGoals
1

Foreign players and transfer regulations

The foreign players policy has changed multiple times since the league's inception. In 2009, FAM took a drastic measure when they changed the foreign players policy that banned foreign players from playing in the league until 2011. Foreign players were only allowed be back into the league starting from the 2012 season onwards.
All foreign players must obtain the International Transfer Certificate from their previous national football governing bodies before they can be register with the FAM.2004-2008: 3 foreign players2009–2011: foreign players banned2012: 2 foreign players2013: 3 foreign players2014: 4 foreign players, 3 on the field at a time2015–2017: 4 foreign players, including 1 Asian quota2018–2022: 5 foreign players, including 1 Asian and 1 Asean quota2023: 9 foreign players, including 1 Asian and 1 Asean quota 2024-2025: 12 foreign players, 9 for the league 2025-2026: 15 foreign players

Records and achievements

Club records

Player records

Attendance

All data available to the public starting from the 2015 season.
Source: FAM-CMS

Clubs ranking in Asia

The final ranking position for each participating MSL club in AFC competitions.
YearRankPointsClub
20155920.295Kelantan
20156818.294Johor Darul Ta'zim
20158812.295Selangor
20159610.961Pahang
20151089.295Terengganu I
20164530.142Johor Darul Ta'zim
20167914.477Selangor
20169310.809Kelantan
20161009.476Pahang
20173438.95Johor Darul Ta'zim
2017949.951Selangor
2017989.617Pahang
20171205.284Felda United
20171324.617Kelantan
20182348.70Johor Darul Ta'zim
20189512.99Pahang
20181089.66Selangor
20181148.66Felda United
20193340.77Johor Darul Ta'zim
20191129.06Selangor
20191228.06Felda United
20191257.39Perak
2019---

''*Bold denotes the highest ranked club for each year at the end of the season.''

All-time league table

The all-time Malaysia Super League table is a cumulative record of all match results, points and goals of every team that has played in the league since its inception in 2004. The table that follows is accurate as of the end of the 2024–25 season. Teams in bold are part of the 2025–26 season.
PosClubNo. of seasonsPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1'''