Amateur Football League on alert as 'Phoenix clubs' rise from the ashes

New Straits Times

10-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The Amateur Football League (AFL) has pledged to tighten screening procedures amid growing concerns over so-called ' Phoenix clubs ' — teams re-emerging under new names to dodge unpaid debts.
On Friday, Timesport reported exclusively how certain teams have exploited loopholes in the amateur structure to rebrand and return to competition — often with the same people at the helm but using new club names, colours and badges.
AFL chief operating officer Raimi Fakri Fuad admitted they are aware of such cases and have taken steps to address them, even though the AFL does not operate under the same licensing rules as the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
"In the past, teams like Melaka FC and Sarawak United, who failed to secure national licenses for the M-League, still received support from the FA of Malaysia (FAM), and we discussed the matter with them," said Raimi.
"FIFA's rulings usually target the individuals behind clubs with outstanding debts, not the teams themselves. The punishment tends to be transfer bans, not outright bans from competition."
Raimi said the AFL has not finalised its lineup for the upcoming season, but stressed that applications are being thoroughly vetted with FAM's help.
"Take Kelantan, for example. They applied to play in Division A1 last season but withdrew at the last minute. At the time, we pushed them to settle their debts if they wanted to compete.
"If we shut the door on every team, we risk wiping out the league. But I'm not sure how far it goes when it comes to teams just 'changing skins'."
He cited Putrajaya-based PT Athletic as a positive example.
"They are a new team. Their documents and management aren't tied to any previous clubs with debt. They showed us a solid financial plan from the start."
While the AFL doesn't enforce full club licensing yet due to its amateur status, Raimi pointed out they already apply administrative, legal, and financial screening although less stringent than the MFL's system.
"We ask for bank statements or guarantee letters to verify funding, and we check if sponsors are genuine. It's not as strict as the MFL, but we're improving.
"For the past two to three years, there was no licensing system at all. Now, we're working with MFL to implement their licensing programme from the outset next season."
Raimi added: "People hold the AFL to high expectations, but we're still operating at an amateur level. The fact that we're being scrutinised like professionals means people are paying attention.