His Royal Highness Tunku Mahkota Ismail, the Regent of Johor, has expressed strong confidence that the Liga Super Malaysia will remain vibrant and competitive, even in the absence of two historically iconic teams — Perak FC and Sri Pahang FC — in the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Both clubs, former Unifi Malaysia Cup winners, have officially withdrawn from next season’s competition due to separate circumstances.
Perak FC cited a deepening financial crisis, including long-standing salary arrears, as the primary reason behind its exit. Meanwhile, Sri Pahang FC’s owner, YAM Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah, publicly announced his intention to withdraw the club at the conclusion of the 2024/25 Unifi Malaysia Cup campaign in April.
Despite the setback, Tunku Ismail — the driving force behind Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) — remains unfazed.
“Even if there are only seven teams, and we have to play four rounds a season, the league will go on. JDT will always be there. You cannot destroy it,” he told Nadi Arena.
TMJ emphasized that the absence of Perak and Sri Pahang should not be interpreted as a blow to Malaysian football, but rather as a test of resilience and ambition among the remaining teams.
He pointed out that the presence of dominant clubs does not weaken a league — instead, it fuels healthy competition. TMJ drew comparisons with established football leagues in Germany, Italy, France, and Thailand, where powerhouse teams coexist with hungry challengers.
“This defeatist mentality — that we can’t compete, so we withdraw — is not acceptable. Look at Germany, Italy, France. Even with dominant clubs, others still push hard to compete. Same in Thailand. Buriram United are clearly ahead, but others don’t just give up. They strive to be better,” he added.
“This mindset of surrendering embarrasses us in the eyes of our neighbours who are watching how our domestic football is developing.”
All teams, including those from the A1 Semi-Pro League such as Melaka FC and Imigresen FC, are now awaiting the National License approval from the Malaysian Football League (MFL) — a critical step before they can compete in the upcoming season.
The deadline for submission of license applications was 10 May 2025, and official announcements are expected soon.
Credit Photo : HRH Crown Prince of Johor
