His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah of Pahang has expressed strong support for Sri Pahang FC’s decision to withdraw from the 2025/26 Malaysia League (Liga M), calling it a potential catalyst for strengthening grassroots football development in the state.
In a special interview with Bernama at Istana Abdulaziz in conjunction with His Majesty’s 66th birthday celebration, the Sultan stated that the rising financial demands of modern football—especially with foreign players as team mainstays—are becoming increasingly unsustainable.
“I welcome Sri Pahang’s decision… Competing in the Malaysia Cup or Liga M now requires major financial resources. It was already expensive before, but it’s even more so today due to the reliance on foreign players,” His Majesty said.
Sultan Abdullah stressed that the withdrawal should be viewed as an opportunity to redirect focus toward establishing more football academies and local leagues at school and district levels.
“It’s not just Sri Pahang—other state teams should also have their own local leagues. I believe the time has come for more football academies in each state or district. However, this will also require substantial financial investment,” he added.
His Majesty hopes Sri Pahang FC will use this hiatus wisely to restructure its club operations—especially in player development and financial management—to avoid future setbacks.
Addressing the national team’s increasing reliance on naturalised players, Sultan Abdullah—who served as President of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) from 2014 to 2017—advocated for giving priority to homegrown talent.
“If there are too many naturalised players, local talent may be overshadowed. This could damage our long-term prospects and weaken youth development programs.
“We may crave quick success, but we must have a solid grassroots foundation. When we successfully develop local players from the ground up, we won’t need to rely on foreign talent,” he asserted.
Looking ahead, the Sultan announced his intention to retire from polo after the Royal Pahang Polo Club in Pekan celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026.
“I will remain active in equestrian sports until 2026. To commemorate the centennial, we’ll host various tournaments. After that, I will retire fully from polo,” he declared.
Sultan Abdullah also expressed pride in nurturing four generations of polo athletes from Pahang, many of whom have gone on to compete internationally, including in Argentina.
“I hope this program will continue for the benefit of our youth,” said the Sultan, who remains active in other sports including golf, pickleball, and paddleball with his children.
When asked about staying healthy, His Majesty revealed that he exercises two to three times a week at the gym and enjoys cycling and horse riding. However, he stressed that diet control—especially rice intake—is key.
“The most important thing is to watch what you eat—especially rice. Eating too much rice makes it hard to maintain your weight. If you can manage your diet, God willing, your body will stay healthy,” he concluded.
Credit Photo : BERNAMA
