KUALA LUMPUR — Should financially burdened local clubs consider moving to foreign leagues to escape MFL sanctions?
With the ongoing financial crisis affecting football clubs at all levels in the Malaysian leagues, some clubs are exploring the option of competing in foreign leagues across Southeast Asia.
Several other leagues in neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines, are also grappling with financial difficulties, a trend that has impacted the Singaporean league as well.
Despite Singapore being the wealthiest nation in the region and one of the richest in the world, its football league has fallen from grace due to the high wages demanded by imported players, leaving clubs struggling to meet salary obligations.
This financial strain has led several clubs to withdraw from the S-League, which once featured 12 to 13 teams since its inception in 1996 but now only has nine participating clubs.
Singaporean media recently reported that Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Bernard Tan proposed inviting local and foreign clubs to fill slots for the 2025/2026 S-League season.
Closer to home, rumours suggest that clubs facing financial difficulties—such as Kedah FC, Kelantan FC, Perak FC, Kuching City FC, and Kuala Lumpur City FC—are considering shifting to neighbouring leagues.
Notably, A1 League side Kuala Lumpur Rovers expressed interest in joining the S-League last season after failing to secure a license to compete in the Malaysia Super League due to wage issues.
Speaking to Scoop, newly appointed Malaysian Football League (MFL) CEO Giorgio Pompili Rossi said that moving to foreign leagues would not solve the financial problems facing Malaysian clubs; rather, it would likely exacerbate them in the long run.
“With the financial problems some clubs are facing, I don’t think moving to other countries will solve the issue—it will make things worse. These clubs are under investigation by our governing body and also by Financial Fair Play (FFP).
“They are unable to pay players’ salaries in Malaysia, so how will they afford to pay them in Singapore dollars, which would be three times the amount?
“It’s not the first time a league has opened its doors to teams from other countries. It has happened the other way around as well. For example, the MFL has received inquiries from foreign teams in the past.
“While it’s not to say that our local clubs can’t compete abroad, we will not allow it, especially for those clubs still under investigation by the MFL,” said Rossi when contacted.
At the same time, Rossi also emphasised the importance of local clubs respecting their fanbase in Malaysia and working to elevate the standards of the local leagues instead.
“I think it’s fair to say that our clubs should compete in our country because their fanbase is here, as are their football rivalries. There’s nothing better than competing in your home country.
“While it’s nice to face foreign clubs occasionally, that’s what AFC and AFF competitions are for. These clubs need to push themselves and elevate their standings in the league rather than jumping ship,” Rossi added.
MFL previously introduced FFP this season to address financial issues affecting several clubs in the league over the years. Among the sanctions under the FFP rules are transfer bans and point deductions.
Most recently, some first-team players from Kedah went on strike, refusing to attend training sessions after the management failed to pay overdue salaries that had not been settled for almost six months. — September 26, 2024