Malaysian States League

The Malaysian States League are a state level football league competition in Malaysia. 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 of the states has its own set of football league, and some may have multiple divisions with promotion and relegation rules among them.^[1] All leagues in all states run in parallel.

The leagues has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues 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.

History

Football arrived in Malaysia (Malaya at that time) with the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading 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 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.^[2] The other earliest recorded winners for 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).^[2] Alongside the leagues, cup competitions also take place.^[2]

By 1933 the football of Malaysia was founded as Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), which managed the local football scene at that time.^[3] By 1954, FAM joined FIFA as a member in the AFC.

Overview

The states football league system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each league can rise to a higher league, whilst those that finish at the bottom of their league can find themselves sinking down a level. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.

In theory it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to rise to the pinnacle of the Malaysian game and become champions of the Malaysia Super League. As the main leagues in Malaysia consist of three tiers, it is possible for a new team to become a champions in just three years if they perform well within the pyramid.

The top three levels contain one division each and are nationwide in scope. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Many leagues have more than one division. At the lower levels the existence of leagues becomes intermittent. There are also leagues in various parts of the country which are not officially part of the system as they do not have formal agreements with the football associations and run by independent organizers with mostly was held in forms of carnival style where the leagues duration is just couple of days of months. Clubs from state leagues may, if they feel they meet the appropriate standard of play and have suitable facilities, apply to join a league which does form part of the system.

The fourth levels of the Malaysian football league system consist of leagues that runs in parallel. The leagues which are managed by FAM are the Malaysia People's Football League and Malaysia IPT Football League. All clubs in Malaysia People's Football League and Malaysia IPT Football League are amateur. The fourth level also consists of Malaysia States Leagues, which are organized by 14 different states football associations and runs in parallel to the one that are runs by the FAM. It is a semi-professional league consisting of amateur, professional, and company clubs from all over the respective states in Malaysia which compete in their own regional state league. It has multiple divisions within it.

There are other levels after this which the leagues run within their regional, city, district or sub-district areas which are lesser known. Most of the teams are amateur levels which may join the upper-tier level if they want to go further with their team.

Promotion and relegation rules for the top four levels

1. Malaysia Super League (level 1, 12 teams): The bottom two teams are relegated.
2. Malaysia Premier League (level 2, 12 teams): The top two automatically promoted. The bottom two are relegated.
3. Malaysia FAM League (level 3, 18 teams): The top two teams are automatically promoted. Currently there are no relegation in this league. Sometimes, teams might withdraw for financial reason and might be given permission to play in States League.
4. Malaysia People's Football League, Malaysia States Leagues and Malaysia IPT Football League (level 4, various teams each, running in parallel): The champions in each division might get promoted to the Malaysia FAM League if they want to play at the national level, as long as they fulfill the requirements in terms of club preparation, account balance and other rules set by FAM.

League system

The table below shows the current structure of the system. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which differs from its historic name) and number of clubs is given. At levels 1–3, each division promotes to the division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the division(s) that lie directly below it. Below that level, individual league articles detail promotion and relegation arrangements.

Level four in the pyramid consist of multiple leagues run in parallel such as Malaysia People's Football League and Malaysia IPT Football League which are managed by FAM while the States League are managed by their respective states football associations.

Unlike most of countries that plays football as a main game, the league system in Malaysia still consist of representative from state association, clubs from company, ministry or government agency.

See also

• Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League
• Malaysia Premier League
• Malaysia Super League
• Malaysia FA Cup
• Malaysia Cup
• FAM Football Awards

External links

• Football Association of Malaysia

References

Football in Malaysia
National teams	Current Men's (result) Men's U-23 (temporary defunct) Men's U-22 Men's U-19 Men's U-16 Men's U-14 Women's XI Futsal (women's) Futsal U-16 (women's) Beach Football (women's) Former Men's U-23 Harimau Muda (U-22) Harimau Muda A (U-22) Harimau Muda B (U-21) Harimau Muda C (U-19)
League competitions	Main league Super League (Level 1) Premier League (Level 2) FAM League (Level 3) Liga Bolasepak Rakyat (Level 4) State League (Level 4-6) IPT Football League (Level 4-6) State District League (Level 5-8) Other President Cup (U-21) Youth League (U-19) National Futsal League Defunct Malaysian League (Malaysian League (1982-1988) (Amateur), Semi-Pro Football League, Premier League (1994–97), Premier League 1 & Premier League 2) Liga Nasional (Amateur)
Cup competitions	Current Malaysia Cup Malaysia FA Cup Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup King's Gold Cup Pestabola Merdeka Tun Sharifah Rodziah Cup (Women's) Minister of Education Cup Defunct Borneo Cup
Seasons 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Football Association of Malaysia Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia List of clubs List of venues List of Malaysian footballers List of footballers playing overseas