Football has been a beloved sport in Malaysia for over a century. However, its popularity increased in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, thanks to the efforts of British colonial administrators and military personnel who introduced the game.
As the sport grew in popularity, different clubs began to emerge from different parts of the country. This gave room for enthusiasts to compete, improve their skills, and develop the game locally.
Over time, these clubs became part of a larger and more organized structure. And as a result, we saw several inter-state competitions, which helped to promote a vibrant football culture that laid the groundwork for Malaysia’s national league.
In this post, we’ll examine the top 5 best football clubs in Malaysia and what makes them stand out. Keep reading.
Malaysia Football Leagues
Malaysia’s football league system is pretty straightforward. It’s a tiered system that features different levels of competition. In the leagues, football clubs do a lot more than just compete. They move up or down the ranks while transitioning from one tier to another. While we explain in greater detail the football leagues in the country, this table gives a close up view of the tiered system Malaysia operates.
| Football League | Tier/Division | Number of Teams |
| Malaysia Super League | Tier 1 | 13 – 14 |
| Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League | Tier 2 | 14 – 16 |
| Malaysia A2 Amateur League | Tier 3 | 16 |
| Malaysia A3 Community League | Tier 4 – 9 | 200 |
Right at the top of Malaysian football, you’ll find the Malaysia Super League. This functions as the apex professional league throughout the country. Besides, it is made up of some of the foremost Malaysian football clubs, which draws the attention of fans from everywhere across the nation.
The Malaysian Football League (MFL) governs this competition, and it’s a big deal for local clubs. Winning here can take them all the way to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions.
Directly below the Super League was the country’s Premier League. This was the second-tier division, where clubs vie for a spot in the top league. At the end of the season, the teams with the most points were promoted to the Super League. The teams that don’t do as well face relegation. The Malaysia Premier League was cancelled in 2022.
After the Premier League is the Malaysia M3 League, now Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League. This division is really important because it helps teams move up from amateur status to the pros. It’s also a safety net for teams that get relegated from the higher divisions. The M3 League gives clubs a chance to prove themselves and work their way up the ranks.
Malaysia A2 Amateur League is the third tier of Malaysian football. What’s amazing about this level is the passion and competition you see, despite it being semi-pro.
Clubs at this level focus on giving back to their communities and developing young players. The goal is to win and move up to the Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League. But if teams don’t perform well, they might get relegated to the amateur leagues.
Finally at the bottom, there’s the Malaysia A3 Community League. This is where amateur clubs come to play and develop their skills. It’s a great way for local teams to test themselves and see how far they can go.
Once they do well here, they can then proceed to higher levels of the competition.
The Top 5 Malaysian Football Teams
Malaysia is one of those countries that come to mind when you think of top countries with exceptional football talents. The leading clubs in the country are incredibly competitive, and for the most part, you’ll find them battling it out in both regional and national tournaments. ents.
What makes these clubs stand out? Well, they’ve got interesting histories and great achievements. They’ve also produced some of the most influential players and coaches who are geniuses when it comes to tactics.
Check them out below:
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Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (JDT)
A football team from Johor, Johor Darul Ta’zim is also referred to as JDT FC, for short, and they rank on our list as the best club in Malaysia. Among other things, the club plays in the top league (the Malaysian Super League). It is also owned by HRH Major General Tunku Ismail, who happens to be Johor’s Crown Prince.
Thanks to their head coach and the way he skillfully guides the team, JDT raises the bar with their smart gameplay and strategy. Everyone knows them for their bold offense, and this ultimately earns the club a lot of goals. Besides, the star players on the team often top the scoring charts, which is a major reason why the club rules in the Malaysian football scene.
With 10 Malaysia Super League titles in a row, 4 FA cups, 9 Charity Shield cups, and 4 Malaysia cups to their name, JDT is undoubtedly taking the lead. As if that’s not enough, the club made headlines in 2015 when they won the AFC cup, which was interestingly the first for any team from Southeast Asia.
Plus, they’ve got a brand-new, state-of-the-art stadium (Sultan Ibrahim), and are currently playing in the AFC Champions League. If you’re wondering what’s next for the team, then it may excite you to know that they’re building a more advanced training ground. This and many other achievements make the club a really big deal when it comes to football in Malaysia.
JDT’s success on the field has opened doors to some amazing opportunities off pitch. They’ve partnered with some of the most reputable names in the industry, like Borussia, Valencia, Juventus, and Dortmund.The owner of the team, HRH Tunku Mahkota, has also established connections and visited top clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, and the likes.
Though JDT’s training facilities recently got an upgrade (the Padang Seri Gelam JDT training centre now has an auditorium and a new medical centre), the club isn’t stopping there. Surprisingly, they’re planning an all-in-one training hub that will cater to every team, from the pros to the Under-12s.
As HRH Tunku continues to lead the team, the future of JDT seems ever bright. There’s hardly a time when they aren’t pushing the limits, setting new records, and raising the bar. This drive and ideology is exactly what has turned the club into one of the best throughout Southeast Asia.
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Selangor FC
What we now call Selangor FC or the Red Giants (because of their bold red and yellow colors) was once known as FA Selangor (FAS, for short) or Football Association of Selangor. It’s a top professional club in Malaysia that represents Selangor, Darul Ehsan.
Formed in February 1836, the football club became a reality when Selangor Association Football League (SAFL) and Selangor Football Association (SFA), which happened to be two different football entities, came together to create a new team.
Today, their crest features a shield with those iconic red and yellow colors. The red symbolizes bravery, while the yellow, on the other hand, reminds one of the King’s sovereignty. Both colors are pretty much unique in the state’s flag which is patterned after Selangor’s identity. The logo also features the state’s blazon at the very top.
With a history as rich as theirs, it’s no surprise that Selangor FC has earned a lot of trophies and titles. They’ve also won several football games and competitions throughout Malaysia. And to top it off, the football club has produced some of the best football legends we know in Malaysia.
Interestingly, many have worn the red and yellow kit with pride, and they’ve rocked the club’s crest beautifully on their chest.
From Mokhtar Daharai to R. Arumugam to Santosh Singh down to Rusdi Superman, several formidable icons have played for Selangor football club. We’ve also seen the likes of Arthur John, Soh Chin Ann, and Zainab Abidin Hassan, who most people know to be legendary players, feature gracefully on the team.
Selangor is one of those clubs in Malaysia that have a long record of success over the years. They’ve won the Malaysia cup 33 different times, and earned league titles 7 times. While that may seem quite impressive, it’s really not all they’ve got. They’ve also added 5 FA cups to their trophy cabinet and raised the Community Shield 8 times.
Among many other things, the FC is known to be a pioneer club with a strong fan base and historical importance. Several enthusiasts hit popular sites like https://1win-malaysia.com/ to predict their match outcomes and win real money.
With particular focus on youth development and rebuilding a competitive team, there’s no doubt that Selangor will keep making headlines in the days ahead.
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Kedah Darul Aman FC
If we’re going to write Kedah Darul Aman FC in Malay, it’ll probably be re-written as Kelab Bola Sepak Kedah Darul Aman.
Ranking third in Malaysian liga on our list of best Malaysian football clubs, the team is based in Alor Setar, Kedah, and overseen by Darulaman Football Club SDN Bhd which is owned by Tan Sri Dr Mohd Daud Bakar as of writing.
Kedah is the first football club in the world of Malaysian sports to have won 2 trebles consecutively (first in 2006/2007 and then in 2007/2008, under the guidance of Azraai Khoe Abdullah, who happened to be the head coach at the time).
The team also boasts 4 Malaysia Premier League titles, 3 Piala Sumbangsih titles, and 3 Malaysia Super League titles. They were first called Kedah Darul Aman in 2021, and are no longer Kedah FA.
One of the major strengths of the football club we identified is their ability to mix both local talent and international players. They’ve also got a dedicated fan base known for their passionate support.
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Pahang FC (Sri Pahang FC)
Sri Pahang Football Club is a pro team from Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. They’ve been around since 1959 and you can easily identify them in their bright yellow home kits.
Before now, Pahang FC played their home matches on public fields around Kuantan and in other parts of Pahang. But they’ve not always been on top.
The worst that has ever happened to the team was in 2012, when they got relegated to the Malaysia Premier League. However, they didn’t stay down for too long.
Just a year later, in 2013, they found their way up to the Malaysia Super League after an exciting playoff win against Kedah Darul Aman.
The football club has 5 Malaysia Super League titles, 3 Malaysia FA Cups and 1 Malaysia Premier League title to its name. They’ve also won 3 different Malaysian Charity Shields and 4 Malaysia Cups.
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Terengganu FC
Terengganu is another pro Malaysia soccer team that plays in the country’s top league– the Malaysian Super League. The club is popular for its supportive fan base, and like every other team on our list, their players are fiercely competitive on the field.
If you’re watching Terengganu FC play, you can easily spot them in their red and white jersey colors. And thanks to their grit and determination, lovers of the team prefer to call them ‘The Turtles’.
With a rich history in Malaysian football, the club has won several league titles and cups. Precisely, they’ve added 2 Malaysia FA Cup, 1 Malaysia Cup, 2 Malaysia Premier League titles, 1 FAM League title, and 1 Malaysia Charity Shield to their list of trophies. They’ve also made a name for themselves as one of the few Malaysian teams with modern facilities and investment in infrastructure.
Conclusion
And that brings us to the end of our Malaysia football ranking on the top 5 best clubs. Whether it’s JDT’s impressive track record or Selangor’s resilience, the determination of players at Terengganu FC or anything else, there’s something about each of these football teams that will definitely interest you.
Besides taking over the pitch and winning a lot of trophies and titles, these clubs have played a very important role in making football a favorite sport among Malaysians. They have contributed significantly to the game, so much so that a new generation of fans and legendary players is now emerging.
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