The competition of the 2023 Malaysia League will promise more exciting action when six championship trophies will be up for grabs this season starting with the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup (Contributory Match), Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup, MFL Challenge Cup and MFL Cup (League Reserve U23).
The new structure of the Malaysian League starting this year saw the Reserve League competition known as the MFL Cup held for the first time while the MFL Challenge Cup was contested again after three years since it was organized in 2018 and 2019.
A total of 14 clubs will compete for the championship in the Liga Super Malaysia 2023, namely Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), Terengganu FC, Sabah FC, Negeri Sembilan FC, Selangor FC, Kuala Lumpur City FC, Sri Pahang FC, Kedah Darul Aman FC, Penang FC, Kelantan FC, Kuching City FC, Kelantan United FC, PDRM FC, and Perak FC.
While for the MFL Cup competition, an under-23 squad from a Super League club and a team from the FAM-MSN Project Squad will participate.
Chief Executive Officer of the MFL, Stuart Ramalingam said, only 14 teams are in action this season after two Liga Super Malaysia clubs from last season, PJ City FC and UiTM FC, will not compete.
“For the 2023 season, a total of 14 clubs will compete in the Malaysian League after UiTM FC withdrew from competing due to failure to obtain team funds while PJ City FC failed to complete the process of acquiring new investors,” he said.
Regarding the scheduling of the Malaysia League 2023, Stuart said the MFL had taken into account the following points:
- The 2023 FIFA Calendar (National Team) (Preparation for the 2023 Asian Cup Finals);
- AFC Champions League 2023 Match and AFC Cup 2023
- AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024 qualifying round;
- AFF U23 CHampionship
- 2023 Asian Games, Guangzhou (U23);
- SEA Games 2023 (Cambodia);
- MFL (Reserve League) Cup Match 2023;
- FA Cup 2023;
- 2023 Malaysia Cup Competition;
- 2023 MFL Challenge Cup match ;
- General Federal and State release day 2023 issued by the Prime Minister’s Department:
- Period of rest and team travel.
For the Donation Match to win Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup 2023 (Piala Sumbangsih) :
i. This match is the first match of the Super League Competition. Match points will be counted as points in Super League 2023.
i. The match involves Johor Darul Ta’zim (2022 Super League Champion) against Terengganu FC (2022 Super League Runner-up) and is scheduled for 24 February 2023.
iii. The venue of the match is at the venue of the 2022 Super League champion club, which is the venue of the home team for Johor Darul Ta’zim.
iv. Meanwhile, the determination of the winner of this Donation Match will be determined according to the following order:-
a. The winning Club in the Match at full time, and in the event of a draw;
b. The club that wins the shootout from the penalty mark follows FIFA’s laws of the game.
c. Points will only be counted according to the full time (90 minutes) result of the match.
For MFL Cup Matches (U23 Reserve League)
i. This competition will be known as the MFL Cup.
i. A total of 15 teams have confirmed participation.
iii. Teams will be divided into two groups by lot, namely group “A” and “B”.
iv. Group “A” will have 8 teams while group “B” will have 7 teams.
v. The vote to determine the position of the teams in Group A and B is divided by zone, which is the Central Zone, North Zone, South Zone, East Zone, Borneo Zone and states that have two teams.
i. The top four (4) clubs of each group A and B will qualify for the 2nd round of the Champions League (League 1 round).
vii. The top two (2) teams of the Champions League will qualify for the MFL Cup Final.
For FA Cup 2023 Matches:
The 2023 FA Cup will be conducted in one round including the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. The latest format is as follows:
i. Will be played in a single round knockout.
i. The bottom three (3) clubs of the 2022 Super League & the bottom three (3) clubs of the 2022 Premier League will play the First Round (FA1) as home teams against M3 League Clubs;
iii. The top 6 Clubs of the Super League 2022 and the top 2 Clubs of the Premier League 2022 will automatically qualify for the Round of 16 and will play as the Home Team against the winner of the FA1 match.
iv. The FA Cup Final Venue will be determined by the MFL.
For the 2023 Malaysia Cup Competition :
The New Format of the Malaysia Cup 2023 is as follows:
i. The competition will involve the 14 Super League 2023 clubs and the top 2 clubs from the M3 League 2023 (Round of 16 teams).
i. The Malaysia Cup competition will start after the mid-season i.e. after the first round (the team position for the match schedule will be determined after the Super League match in week 13);
iii. The voting/qualification process is as follows:
a. Teams in the first to eighth positions (after the 13th match of Super League 2023) are seeded teams .
b. Teams in positions 9 to 14 (after the 13th match of the Super League 2023) and the first and second positions of the M3 League will be drawn to determine the position of the teams to the round of 16 that will meet the seeded teams .
iv. Round of 16 Matches, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals will be played back-to-back;
v. The venue for the Malaysia Cup Final will be determined by the MFL.
For MFL Challenge Cup 2023 Matches :
i. In 2023, the MFL Challenge Cup will be contested again.
i. The eight (8) teams that did not qualify for the Malaysia Cup Quarter Finals will play in the Quarter Finals of the MFL Challenge Cup 2023.
iii. The determination of the match schedule will be determined by seeding or as decided by the MFL
iv. The Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals will be played back-to-back at the venues of the qualifying teams.
For the 2024 AFC Champions League and 2024 AFC Cup Eligibility Determination :
The determination of eligibility and the total participation of clubs from Malaysia to the AFC Champions League (ACL) or AFC Cup is subject to the decision of the MFL after the AFC makes an official announcement regarding the format of the competition.
The latest Super League 2023 schedule in PDF form here.
Credit Photo : MFL
