Kelantan The Real Warriors FC suffered a major setback after officially failing to obtain a National Licence for the 2025/26 club licensing cycle following a decision by the Independent First Instance Body (FIB).
The announcement was made after the Malaysian Football League (MFL) Club Licensing FIB Committee meeting held on 25 May 2026, chaired by acting chairman Hussaini Hussin.
According to the FIB, Kelantan The Real Warriors’ application did not fulfil the required criteria outlined under the MFL Club Licensing Regulations (CLR) 2025-2026 Edition, resulting in the club being denied a National Licence.
The decision casts uncertainty over the club’s immediate future and represents another difficult chapter for football in Kelantan, with licensing compliance continuing to be a major challenge for clubs from the east coast state in recent years.
While Kelantan The Real Warriors were left disappointed, seven Super League clubs successfully secured both AFC and National Licenses for the 2026-2027 season: Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kuching City, Selangor FC, Terengganu FC, Negeri Sembilan FC, Penang FC, and Sabah FC.
The licensing assessment covered six major criteria including sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administration, legal, financial and business requirements.
Meanwhile, four clubs were granted National Licences with sanctions under Article 8.2 of the MFL CLR: Imigresen FC, Melaka FC, Kuala Lumpur City, and PDRM FC
The clubs must submit additional financial and infrastructure documentation by 15 July 2026 to maintain their licensing status.
In addition, Kuala Lumpur City FC and PDRM FC were fined RM45,000 each under Article 8(f) of the regulations.
The FIB also confirmed that four AFL A1 clubs successfully obtained Extraordinary National Licences: Kelantan Red Warrior FC, UM Damansara United, Armed Forces FC, and Bunga Raya FC.
The FIB added that continuous monitoring will be carried out on clubs granted licences with sanctions to ensure compliance with all requirements moving forward.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
