| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Indonesia |
| Dates | 22–30 September |
| Teams | 5 |
| Venue(s) | Gelora Senayan Stadium (in 1 host city) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Malaysia (3rd title) |
| Runners-up |  Indonesia |
| Third place |  Thailand |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 12 |
| Goals scored | 22 (1.83 per match) |
← 1977 1981 → | |
The football tournament at the 1979 SEA Games was held from 22 to 30 September in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Brunei and the Philippines did not enter. Kampuchea (then name for Cambodia), Laos and Vietnam did not participate at the Southeast Asian Games.
The competition was played in a round robin format with the five participating teams; first and second place would then play off for the gold medal.
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
| Indonesia | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 |
| Thailand | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 |
 Singapore | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 |
 Burma | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
| Indonesia | 3–0 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
Iswadi Idris  52'Risdianto 64'Rully Nere 80' |
| Indonesia | 1–3 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Dede Sulaeman 24' | Chuayboonchum 48', 72' Sittiporn 58' |
| Singapore | 2–2 | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Arshad Khamis 21' Wong Kwok Choy 43' | Napatalung 5' Tingstati 89' |
| Burma | 1–2 | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Aye Maung 26' | Wong Kwok Choy 32', 88' |
| Indonesia | 2–1 | Burma |
|---|---|---|
| Risdianto 29' Iswadi Idris 57' | Than Win 12' |
As Indonesia and Thailand were level on points and goals, a play-off for second place (and the right to face Malaysia in the gold medal match) was required.
| Indonesia | 0–1 | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| Mokhtar Dahari 21' |
| 1979 SEA Games Men's Tournament |
|---|
 Malaysia Third title |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Final result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaysia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 8 | Gold Medal |
| 2 | Indonesia (H) | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 6 | Silver Medal |
| 3 | Thailand | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | Singapore | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 | |
| 5 | Burma | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | Indonesia | Thailand |
| GK R. Arumugam GK Hamid Ramli DF Soh Chin Aun DF Santokh Singh DF Jamal Nasir DF Wan Jamak Wan Hassan DF G. Torayraju DF Davendran MF Abdullah Ali MF Yahya Jusoh MF Shukor Salleh MF Mohammed Bakar MF Khalid Ali MF Bakri Ibni MF Hassan Yahya FW Hassan Sani FW James Wong FW Abdah Alif FW Mokhtar Dahari FW Isa Bakar | GK Haryanto GK Poerwono DF Simson Rumahpasal DF Berti Tutuarima DF Wayan Diana DF Ronny Pattinasarany DF Ishak Liza DF Rae Bawa MF Tinus Heipon MF Wahyu Hidayat MF Rudy W. Keltjes MF Rully Nere MF Iswadi Idris MF Ghusnul Yakin FW Effendi Marico FW Risdianto FW Dede Sulaeman FW Djoko Malis | GK Charchai Kanari GK Nawee Sookying DF Pitak Silprasit DF Manus Ratanatisoi DF Prapan Premsri DF Wisoot Wichaya Pakasit Suwananond Juta Tingpat Chamreon Kamnil MF Jesdaporn Napathalung MF Amnart Chalermchavalit MF Niwat Srisawat Boonlert Eowachareaon MF Vorawan Chitavanich FW Somchai Chuayboonchum FW Daoyod Dara FW Cherdsak Chaiyabutr |
