Malaysian Football League (MFL) has confirmed disciplinary action following a technical incident during the Liga Super Malaysia match between Penang FC and Kuching City FC at Stadium Bandaraya, Pulau Pinang on March 15, 2026.
After conducting a comprehensive investigation, the league concluded that multiple procedural failures occurred regarding the preparation and verification of the official Team List, leading to disciplinary penalties for both the club and match officials.
According to the investigation, a technical error was made during the preparation of the match Team List by the Match Commissioner.
Kuching City defender Scott Philip Woods (No.5) had been correctly registered in the Selection List as a substitute player, but his name was mistakenly omitted from the official Team List submitted for the match.
Despite the omission, the player was eventually brought on during the match.
The MFL Board of Directors found that the Match Commissioner, Game Coordinator and Fourth Official failed to properly follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for player verification in the dressing room before the match.
The controversy intensified in stoppage time (90+6) when a substitution was allowed by the Game Coordinator and Fourth Official without a full verification of the Team List.
This resulted in a player who was not officially listed on the Team List being fielded during the match.
The MFL concluded that there had been non-compliance with the Organizational Technical Regulations (OTP) of the Malaysia League 2025–2026.
Following the investigation, the MFL Board decided on the following sanctions:
- **Kuching City FC fined RM30,000 and issued a strong warning for negligence in ensuring the accuracy of the Team List.
- The match result Penang FC 0–1 Kuching City FC will remain unchanged.
In addition, disciplinary action was taken against match officials:
- The Match Commissioner has been suspended for 12 months, with the final six months designated as a rehabilitation period.
- The Game Coordinator has been suspended for six months.
- Further action against the Fourth Official will be determined by the Football Association of Malaysia.
MFL also referenced previous cases involving similar procedural breaches.
One notable case occurred in 2021 when Kelantan FC fielded an ineligible player after exceeding the allowed substitution limit against Negeri Sembilan FC in the Premier League. The result remained valid, but Kelantan were fined RM30,000, while match officials were suspended.
Another incident happened during the 2024 MFL Cup between Penang FC II and Terengganu FC II when a player not listed on the Team List was introduced during the match. The result also stood, but officials received suspensions.
Credit Photo : Penang FC
