MFL to pause M-League for Harimau Malaya's sake
KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya are expected to assemble a full-strength squad, comprising the best players from the M-League clubs, for the CAFA Nations Cup on Aug 26-Sept 9.
Although the M-League is scheduled to begin on Aug 8, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) has confirmed the league will pause temporarily to allow the national team to field their strongest side for the Central Asian tournament.
MFL acting chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said supporting the national team remains a key priority for the league organisers.
"As part of managing the league, our priority is also to support the national team," said Shazli.
"The CAFA Cup will begin a few days before the FIFA international window opens.
"When the national players are assembled, it usually involves key clubs like Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), Selangor, Sabah and KL City.
"During that period, the M-League will take a short break."
The CAFA Nations Cup has attracted top teams, including world No. 18 Iran and world No. 57 Uzbekistan, who have qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Also expected to feature are Oman (world No. 77), Kyrgyzstan (No. 103), Tajikistan (No. 104), Turkmenistan (No. 142) and Afghanistan (No. 160).
Shazli also assured that the national team's commitments will not disrupt the league calendar, as fixtures will be adjusted in advance to avoid postponements.
"There won't be any match delays because the league schedule hasn't been finalised yet," he said.
"We've taken the national team's plans into consideration early, so it won't interfere with the league's flow.
"In the past, such requests were made after the league had already started. This time, we're in constant communication with the national team and have planned accordingly.
"We're also working closely with all clubs to ensure they understand and support this approach," he added.
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