Malaysian Football League, also simply known as MFL was created in the course of privatisation of the Malaysian football league system. It was formerly known as Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership. The company operates and runs six entities in Malaysian football under its jurisdiction, which include Liga Super, the Liga Premier, the Piala Malaysia, the Piala Cabaran Malaysia, the Piala FA and the Piala Sumbangsih. It aims to transform and move Malaysian football forward. Liga Super and Liga Premier are at the top and second level of the Malaysian football league system and it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 24 clubs which are divided into two separated division, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within them and together with Malaysia M3 League and Malaysia M4 League. Malaysian Football League organises and keeps the official record of the league and cup matches while enforcing the rules of professional football. Besides that, the company also oversees the development, certification, and registration of professional football players, coaches, and referees. Malaysian Football League is also responsible for promoting professional football in Malaysia through broadcasts and other media outlets. Malaysian Football League is a corporation in which the 24 member clubs act as shareholders. Seasons run from February to November, with teams playing 22 matches each totalling 132 matches in each league in the season. The total number of matches can be calculated using the formula n* where n is the total number of teams. Most games are played in the afternoons of Fridays and Saturdays, the other games during weekday evenings.
History
After the appointment of MP & Silva by the Football Association of Malaysia as its Global Advisor for all media and commercial rights for an extensive line-up of FAM competitions, Football Malaysia LLP was established to manage the top two-tier of Malaysian football league competition while MP & Silva and FAM partnership goal is to extending its broadcast reach and maximising the commercial potential of its properties. The partnership signifies the first steps of privatisation of the Malaysian professional leagues as the subsidiary holdings, the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership, will be established for the day-to-day administration of local club football at a league-wide level. This deal is worth RM1.26 billion over a 15-year period commencing from 2016. However cracks in the agreement appeared late that year after reports emerged that promised levels of funding failed to materialise, with MP & Silva only offering a level of investment lower than FAM had originally turned down by other media parties prior to agreeing a partnership with the sports media agency. In March 2018, the company has been rebranded to Malaysian Football League from Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership. The company will be more dynamic and competitive. MFL is now an independent organisation and no longer tied to FAM. In 2019, a new subsidiary of the company was formed as Amateur Football League which will be tasked to manage the third division and below. The AFL has officially confirmed the formation of Liga M3 and Liga M4 as the third and fourth division of Malaysian League as an amateur league competition. A total 14 clubs has been confirmed to compete for the inaugural season of newly reformed third division, Liga M3 which replaced the former Liga FAM.
Corporate structure
Malaysian Football League structure consist of the following.
League Congress. This has 29 seats: One seat from each of the participating Super League and Premier League Teams and five from FAM.
League Executive Committee. This has three seats, filled by members of the Congress voted into the board for a particular term.
Position
Name
President
Hamidin Mohd Amin
CEO
Ab Ghani Hassan
Competitions
The Football Association of Malaysia formerly runs all top football competitions in Malaysia before some of it was given to Malaysian Football League as one of a privatisation effort for a professional football in Malaysia. The list below are the said competitions which now managed by MFL.