The Malaysian Football League (MFL) has officially announced an increase in the player registration quota for the 2025/26 season, allowing all participating clubs to register up to 33 players, following the addition of three extra local player slots.
This decision was approved by the MFL Board of Directors in a recent special meeting, after reviewing requests from several clubs—particularly newly promoted teams from the AI Semi-Pro League that have joined the Malaysia Super League for the first time this season.
One key factor behind this change is the exemption granted to these promoted clubs from the requirement to field youth or development teams (such as those competing in the President’s Cup, Youth Cup, U-17, and U-10 competitions) in their debut season. Furthermore, the cancellation of the MFL Cup for the 2025/26 season has reduced competitive opportunities for fringe players.
To address this, the three additional local player slots are intended to provide clubs—especially those without development teams—greater flexibility and squad depth for the upcoming season.
However, the MFL emphasized that utilizing the additional slots is not mandatory. Clubs may choose whether to fill the three extra spots based on their strategic needs and financial capabilities, especially with the enforcement of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, which include an 80% salary cap mechanism to ensure sustainable club operations.
With this new ruling, the total player registration limit per club for the Malaysia League 2025–2026 season now stands at 33 players, comprising 18 local players and 15 foreign players.
Clubs have until August 31, 2025, to complete their registrations during the first transfer window, while the second transfer window will run from January 5 to February 1, 2026.
Credit Photo : Jayden Seah/SNE-Photo
