KUALA LUMPUR – The Super League is at risk of extinction, with several football clubs pulling out due to low fan attendance, mirroring the decline of the Chinese Super League (CSL), warns national football legend Datuk Dollah Salleh.
Dollah’s remarks follow reports that Malaysia’s top-tier football league has been struggling with poor attendance since the season began in May last year.
On average, only around 1,969 fans have attended each match out of 13 games played, compared to last season’s average of 5,331.
Notably, the highest attendance this season was recorded during the clash between JDT and Terengganu, with 21,365 fans in attendance, while the lowest turnout was a mere 170 spectators for a match between PDRM and Kelantan Darul Naim.
However, statistics indicate that Malaysian football fans tend to pack stadiums for high-stakes matches, such as the semifinals and finals of domestic tournaments like the Malaysia Cup and FA Cup.
Over the past five years, an average of 68,518 fans have attended each Malaysia Cup final, with a total of 342,593 spectators recorded for the event.
Dollah told Scoop that unless local clubs resolve long-standing salary and financial issues, poor attendance in the M-League will persist, much like the crisis in the CSL.
Reports indicate that Sri Pahang, Perak, Sabah, Kelantan Darul Naim, and Kedah FC have been grappling with salary arrears since the start of the Super League campaign.
A similar scenario unfolded in the CSL, where once-dominant clubs like Guangzhou FC—home to former Brazilian superstars such as Paulinho and Robinho—went bankrupt after failing to meet players’ wage demands.
This triggered a domino effect, with clubs like Shanghai Port and Shanghai Shenhua also struggling to pay their star players, leading to dwindling attendance at league matches.
Currently, the CSL suffers from poor attendance, averaging just 19,431 fans per game, with some matches, including those involving Qingdao Hainiu, played in an empty stadium.
“If we look at our Super League or M-League, the main reason behind declining fan attendance is poor club management. Players are not being treated well, and financial mismanagement continues.
“Fans are reluctant to spend their money on match tickets when they know their contributions are unlikely to benefit the players,” said Dollah, who also serves as team manager for Pahang.
“When players aren’t paid, it affects their performance, and if they don’t perform, fans won’t show up. Until these financial issues are resolved, I wouldn’t be surprised if our league collapses like the CSL.
“It’s time for clubs to take responsibility and clean up their mess. They must recognise that football is nothing without its fans,” he added.
Meanwhile, former national and Selangor legend Datuk Santokh Singh believes the lack of state government involvement and inadequate promotion are major factors behind the low turnout.
“Back in the day, states took pride in their football teams, and there was continuous promotion of the sport, which naturally attracted fans to stadiums. Since privatisation, many states have distanced themselves from club affairs,” he said.
“Apart from top clubs like Selangor, JDT, and Terengganu, few state teams actively promote themselves. This is concerning—I have friends in Sarawak who don’t even know that Kuching City FC exists.
“Until state authorities take ownership and promote their clubs effectively, declining attendance will persist, and the league may eventually disappear,” Santokh added.
For context, the privatisation of state-owned football clubs was initiated by the Football Association of Malaysia’s Professional Football Special Committee in 2020, with the aim of attracting corporate sponsors to help sustain club finances. – February 2, 2025