
MFL to fix VAR flaws ahead of new M-League season
Although FA of Malaysia (FAM) referees' committee chairman Datuk S. Sivasundaram described VAR's performance last season as "excellent" — citing an average of 0.57 on-field reviews per match and a review time of 2.27 minutes — several key errors sparked criticism.
The most notable incident saw referee Razlan Joffri Ali and a VAR official suspended for two matches and retrained following a contentious Super League clash between Perak and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).
MFL acting chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said steps are being taken to improve the VAR application.
"To date, we've conducted two VAR improvement sessions. FIFA and AFC representatives also took part in the sessions," said Shazli.
"Last season was our first using VAR, and we've noted the shortcomings. We're working to implement those corrections for the upcoming season."
Shazli added that the 2025-2026 M-League schedule will be released on Friday.
Malaysia will be represented by JDT and Selangor in the Asean Club Championship.
JDT, as reigning Super League champions, will again compete in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Elite, while Selangor will feature in ACL2.
Meanwhile, Super League newcomers Immigration FC have until Saturday to confirm their home venue for the new season.
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