Malaysia A2 Amateur League

Malaysia A2 Amateur League

Organising body	Malaysian Football League
Founded	March 2018;6 years ago (2018-03)
Country	Malaysia
Confederation	AFC
Number of teams	15
Level on pyramid	3
Promotion to	Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League
Relegation to	Malaysia A3 Community League
Current champions	UiTM United (1st title) (2023)
Most championships	SAINS FC UiTM United (1 title each)
TV partners	Vnow.TV (selected matches) YouTube (online streaming)
Current: 2024–25 Malaysia A2 Amateur League

The Malaysia A2 Amateur League (Malay : Liga A2 Amatur Malaysia, previously known as the Malaysia M4 League, also known as the al-ikhsan Cup for sponsorship reasons) is the third tier football league in the Malaysian football league system. ^[1] The league was created in 2018 as part of the Malaysian Football League's plan to reform the Malaysian football league structure.

After a rebranding of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) in March 2018, the company announced a reform of lower league competitions in Malaysia. ^{[2] [3]} In 2019, a new subsidiary of the company was formed, known as the Amateur Football League (AFL) which was tasked to manage the third division and below. ^[4] The AFL officially confirmed the formation of the Malaysia M3 League and Malaysia M4 League as the third and fourth divisions of the Malaysian football league system. ^[5]

A total of 14 clubs were confirmed to compete in the inaugural season of the newly reformed third division, the Malaysia M3 League, which replaced the former Malaysia FAM League while the 5 FA state leagues and 9 social leagues ran in parallel to form the Malaysia M4 League. ^[5]

History

Origins

Main articles: History of Malaysian football and Football in Malaysia

Football arrived in Malaysia (British Malaya at that time) as courtesy of the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading and most popular sport. Towards the end of the 19th century, football was one of the central pillars of most sports clubs in Malaya. However, it was not structured. Even when the Selangor Amateur Football League (SAFL) took shape in 1905 – which ensured proper administration and organisation – the competition was confined only to clubs in Kuala Lumpur.

The earliest recorded state football league took place in Penang, where YMCA won the league in 1909. ^[6] The other earliest recorded winners of state football leagues were Johor in 1922 (P.W.D.A.A.), Malacca in 1929 (Malacca Chinese FA), Negeri Sembilan in 1929 (Nilai Club), Perak in 1932 (Perak Chinese RC) and Selangor in 1935 (Rangers). ^[6] Alongside the leagues, cup competitions also took place. ^[6]

By 1933 the administration for the football in Malaya was founded as the Football Association of Malaya (FAM), which managed the local football scene at that time. ^[7] By 1954, the FAM joined FIFA as a member of the AFC.

Malaysia consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea, with eleven states and two federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) in Peninsular Malaysia, and two states and one federal territory (Labuan) in East Malaysia (Borneo). Each state has its own sets of football leagues, and some may have multiple divisions with promotion and relegation rules among them. ^[8] All leagues in all states run in parallel.

The leagues have a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between league divisions at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the hypothetical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues or fold altogether, but an estimated average of 10 clubs per division implies that hundreds of teams are members of a league in the Malaysian men's football league system.

For the 2021 season, the AFL has announced the format changes for the Malaysia M3 and M4 Leagues in preparation for the transition to semi-professional status.

Overview

The M4 league were part of the Malaysian football pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each state FA, social and community M5 league can rise to this division, whilst those that finish at the bottom of M3 league can find themselves relegate to this league. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.

Clubs

2024-25

Below are the list of clubs who will join the 2024-25 season, based on the status gained from 2023 Malaysia M3 League and 2023 Malaysia M5 League.

#	Teams	League
1	AAK Ultimate	2023 Malaysia M3 League relegated team
2	Bunga Raya United F.C.	2023 RAFA Southern Selangor League finalist
3	Gombak City F.C.	2023 MAHSA-KRONOS M5 League champion
4	Guar Syed Alwi	2023 Perlis Super League champion
5	JAKIM FC	2023 Malaysia M4 League quarter-finalist
6	Kampong Ku F.C.	2023 KLFA M5 League champion
7	Kuala Muda F.A.	Invited team
8	MAHSA United	2023 Malaysia M4 League participant
9	MP Port Dickson	2023 Malaysia M4 League semi-finalist
10	NBK Empire F.C.	2023 A-Ligue Champions League M5 finalist
11	Pencinta Setia F.C.	2023-24 PBDLMS M5 League participant
12	Real Mambau	2023 A-Ligue Nismilan semi-finalist
13	SAMB	Invited team
14	Semantan Troopers F.C.	2023 Pahang Amateur League finalist
15	SJ Virtuosos F.C.	2023 Putrajaya M5 League champion
16	Wan Tendong Stable	2023 Malaysia M4 League quarter-finalist

Promotion and relegation rules for the top four levels

1. Malaysia Super League (level 1, 14 teams): The bottom two teams are relegated. No relegation for 2023 season.
2. Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League (level 2, 16 teams): The top two automatically promoted. The bottom two are relegated. The league not running in 2023
3. Malaysia A2 League (level 3, 36 teams): The top two teams are automatically promoted to Super League. Sometimes, teams might withdraw for financial reasons and might be given permission to play in their State Leagues.
4. Malaysia M4 League (level 4, 15 clubs).

Play-off champions and runners-up

Year	Champion	Runners-up	Result
2019	KSR SAINS	IKRAM Muda	1–0 [9]
2020	cancelled and declared null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	cancelled and declared null and void due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022	No Tournament
2023	UiTM United	YPM FC	2–1
2024–25

See also

• Malaysia Super League
• Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League
• Malaysia A3 Community League
• Malaysia FA Cup
• Malaysia Cup
• FAM Football Awards
• Football in Malaysia

References

1. "14 State and Social League Organisers Sign Agreement to Join M5 League". Johor Southern Tigers. 24 March 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
2. Rizar Mohd Noor (25 March 2018). "TMJ: Thank you Malaysian football and goodbye". New Straits Times . Retrieved 8 October 2019.
3. "Johor crown prince resigns as FAM President, appointed as Malaysia Football League chairman". Bernama . Channel NewsAsia. 26 March 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
4. Zulhilmi Zainal (25 March 2018). "14 amateur leagues confirmed as part of inaugural Malaysian tier five season". Goal.com. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
5. "14 pasukan sedia bersaing di Liga M3 Malaysia 2019" (in Malay). Fox Sports Malaysia. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
6. "Malaysia - List of Regional Champions and Cup Winners". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
7. "Association Information [Football Association of Malaysia]". FIFA. Archived from the original on 17 June 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
8. "Liga M musim baru mula November". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). 21 August 2007. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
9. "Liga M3 2020 KSR SAINS tak mahu jadi pasukan cukup syarat". Semuanya Bola.