Malaysian football receives positive news amid the FIFA lawsuit storm

Malaysian football has just received very good news following a series of unfavorable reports in recent days.

The Malaysian Football League (MFL) confirmed that the funding for domestic competitions remains stable, as partners continue to trust the league's development direction despite recent FIFA sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

MFL’s Acting CEO, Mr. Shazli Shaik, stated that the M-League has not received any signals from sponsors about withdrawing or reducing their commitments.

“Up to now, we have not received any requests from sponsors expressing concerns,” said Mr. Shazli. “Based on what was shown in the recently concluded FA Cup, sponsors are satisfied with what we have delivered.”.

According to Mr. Shazli, MFL’s commercial relationships remain unaffected as the league continues to focus on professionalism and value for its partners. When asked about the sponsorship stability, he confirmed no partner has left the league.

These reassuring commitments come amid fans’ worries thatthe FIFA sanctions imposed on FAM could indirectly impact M-League’s sponsorship funding.

Malaysian football is engaged in a tense legal battle with the world football governing body (FIFA), a lawsuit expected to cost FAM around 8 million Ringgit (approximately 52 billion VND). Many Malaysian football experts are concerned this lawsuit will lead FAM into a financial crisis.

Additionally, the intangible damage to Malaysian football’s reputation is even harder to recover than the financial loss.

“FAM may need one to two decades to restore the country's image internationally,” he commented. “Sponsors might withdraw, fan support could decline due to integrity issues, and future naturalization programs will face serious doubts.”

Therefore, MFL’s commitment can be considered the most positive news for Malaysian football amid the chaos caused by FIFA’s sanctions.