KUALA LUMPUR – Newly appointed Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski will lead his charges in their third-round campaign in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on home soil, with their opening Group F match against Nepal taking place at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, on March 25.
The decision for the match to be held at the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) stadium was confirmed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul, following a request from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Windsor said that the AFC has no objections, as the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium was already approved as an official venue for this season’s AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) competition.
“The choice of venue is up to FAM, and they have selected Johor. We have no issues with the stadium (Sultan Ibrahim Stadium) as it meets all the necessary requirements for this competition,” he told Bernama when contacted.
At the same time, Windsor confirmed that Nepal’s home match against Malaysia, which is scheduled for November, will now take place in Malaysia.
He said the change was necessary due to renovation works at Dasharath Stadium, and the decision was made to mitigate any potential risks.
For the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, Malaysia has been drawn into a group alongside Vietnam, Nepal, and Laos. Only the group winners will secure a spot in the tournament, set to be held in Saudi Arabia. – February 20, 2025