Interim Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has named a 26-man squad for the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026, with Harimau Malaya set to begin their centralised training camp on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.
The regional championship will run from 24 July to 26 August 2026, with Malaysia drawn in Group B alongside Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines.
The squad was finalised following an extensive evaluation process by Tan Cheng Hoe before the registration deadline with the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) on Friday, 10 July.
Goalkeepers
- Rahadiazli Rahalim — Terengganu FC
- Azri Ghani — Negeri Sembilan FC
Players
- Mohamadou Sumareh — Johor Darul Ta’zim
- Ibrahim Manusi — Johor Darul Ta’zim
- Daryl Sham George — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Pavithran Gunalan — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Ziad El Basheer Norisham — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Alif Ahmad — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Faris Danish Asrul — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Haziq Aiman Esa — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Paulo Josue — Kuala Lumpur City FC
- Zhafri Yahya — Kuala Lumpur City FC
- Fazrul Amir Zaman — Kuala Lumpur City FC
- Jimmy Raymond — Kuching City FC
- Rodney Celvin Akwensivie — Kuching City FC
- Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili — Terengganu FC
- Ruventhiran Vengadesan — Melaka FC
- Aliff Haiqal Lokman Hakim Lau — Penang FC
- Dominic Tan — Sabah FC
- Endrick dos Santos — TBA
- Engku Shakir Engku Yacob — TBA
- Syafiq Ahmad — TBA
- Sergio Aguero — TBA
- Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak — Vencedor Mie United
- Richard Chin — Ross County FC
- Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal — Sporting JAX
Nine additional players have been placed on the standby list and could be called up if changes are required:
- Samuel Sommerville — DPMM FC
- Tommy Mawat Bada — DPMM FC
- Akhyar Rashid — Terengganu FC
- Danial Amier Norhisham — Terengganu FC
- Adam Nor Azlin — Kuala Lumpur City FC
- Ahmad Aysar Hadi Shapri — Johor Darul Ta’zim II
- Haqimi Azim Rosli — TBA
- Fayadh Zulkifli Amin — TBA
- Fadzrul Danel Nizam — TBA
Tan Cheng Hoe faces a significant challenge in preparing the national team, with the ASEAN Hyundai Cup taking place outside the FIFA International Match Calendar.
The tournament also comes at a difficult time for Malaysian clubs, with teams competing in the 2026–27 Malaysia Super League having only recently begun their respective pre-season programmes.
Despite those limitations, the 26 selected players will report for camp on 15 July, giving the coaching staff only eight days of preparation before the squad departs for Yangon on 23 July.
Harimau Malaya will open their Group B campaign against Myanmar at Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Malaysia will then return home to face Laos at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, on 28 July.
The biggest fixture of the group stage will follow on 1 August, when Harimau Malaya travel to Bangkok to face regional rivals Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium.
After sitting out the fourth matchday on 4 August, Malaysia will complete their Group B campaign against the Philippines at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on 8 August.
The top two teams from Groups A and B will advance to the two-legged semi-finals, scheduled for 15/16 August and 18/19 August.
The ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 final will also be played over two legs, on 22 August and 26 August 2026.
With limited preparation time and a squad featuring a mixture of experienced internationals, emerging talents and overseas-based players, Tan Cheng Hoe now faces the task of quickly building a competitive Harimau Malaya side for one of Southeast Asian football’s biggest tournaments.
Credit Photo : FAM
