Malaysia Super League
 | |
| Country | Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Other club(s) from | Singapore |
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | Malaysia Premier League |
| Domestic cup(s) |
Malaysia FA Cup Malaysia Cup Malaysia Charity Shield |
| International cup(s) |
AFC Champions League AFC Cup ASEAN Super League |
| Current champions |
Johor DT 1st title (2014) |
| Most championships |
Selangor FA (6 titles) |
| TV partners |
Media Prima RTM StarHub (Singapore) |
 2015 Malaysia Super League | |
The Malaysia Super League (Liga Super Malaysia) is a Malaysian professional football league for state football association (FA) teams and clubs. It is at the top flight of the Malaysian League and managed by Malaysia Super League Sdn. Bhd., under supervision of the Football Association of Malaysia. The league is contested between 12 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Malaysian Premier League. The 12 clubs participating in this top flight league need to pass a set of requirements and verification process, primarily related to professionalism and infrastructure feasibility.
It was previously known as the Semi-Pro League from 1989 to 1993 and the Malaysian League (Liga-M) from 1993 to 2004. The competition formed in 2004 following the decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to privatise the league, but it was not fully privatised. As a result, MSL Sendirian Berhad (or MSL Proprietary Limited) was created to oversee the marketing aspects of the league.
Since 1979, a total of 12 clubs have been crowned champions of Malaysia's top tier football league. Since the inception of the Super League in 2004, six teams have won the title: Kedah (2 titles), Selangor (2), Kelantan (2), Pahang (1), Perlis (1), N.Sembilan (1), LionsXII, (1) and Johor DT, (1).
The current champions are Johor DT, who won the title in 2014.
History
A football league competition involving representatives of the state football associations which was first held in 1979. When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Malaysia Cup. It was not until 1982 that a League Cup was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions. Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right.
Initially, teams that were only allowed to participate in the league were the state FAs, teams representing the ATM and the PDRM, and teams representing the neighbouring countries of Singapore and Brunei though the Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian League after the 1994 season following a dispute with the Football Association of Malaysia over gate receipts. However, Singapore was subsequently re-invited into the league for the 2012 season and participated under the name Lions XII. In recent years, top Malaysian club teams have also been admitted to the league competition.
In 2010, The Football Association of Malaysia released a new logo for the 2011 season, which was subsequently replaced by another logo that incorporated the new league sponsor, Astro for the 2012 season.[1]
Between 1989 to 1993 and 1998 to 2003, the football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels:
- 1st Division: Premier 1 League Malaysia
- 2nd Division: Premier 2 League Malaysia
Between 1994 to 1997, there was no second-level league as the top two leagues were combined.
Between 2004 to 2006, the professional football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels and two groups:
- Top tier: Malaysian Super League
- Second tier: Malaysian Premier League Group A
- Second tier: Malaysian Premier League Group B
Between 2007 until now, the professional football league in Malaysia was only divided into three levels with the creation of the FAM League. The Malaysia Premier League combined into one level rather than two groups:
- Top tier: Malaysia Super League
- Second tier: Malaysia Premier League
- Third tier: Malaysia FAM League
Logo evolution
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The first ever Super League Logo which has been used for the first ever 2004 Super League Malaysia until the 2010 season.
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The 2011 Super League Logo which has been used for the 2011 Malaysia Super League Season.
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The Super League Logo used for the 2012 Malaysia Super League Season.
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The logo used from the 2013 Malaysia Super League Season until 2014.
Teams
A total of 14 teams have played in the Super League from its inception in 2004 up to and including the 2013 season. Seven teams have been members of the Super League for every season since its inception.
The following 12 teams are competing in the Malaysian Super League for the 2015 season.
| Club |
Position in 2014 |
First season in top division |
Number of seasons in top division |
Number of seasons in the Super League |
First season of current spell in top division |
Top division titles |
Last top division title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATM | 10th | 2013 | 2 | 2 | 2013 | 0 | n/a |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim | 1st | 2002 | 10 | 8 | 2006–07 | 1 | 2014 |
| Kelantan | 6th | 1983 | 7 | 7 | 2009 | 2 | 2012 |
| LionsXII | 8th | 2012 | 5 | 5 | 2012 | 3 | 2013 |
| Pahang | 3rd | 1983 | 25 | 10 | 2013 | 5 | 2004 |
| Perak | 9th | 1983 | 26 | 11 | 1989 | 2 | 2003–04 |
| PDRM | 1st in the Premier League | 2015 | 1 | 1 | 2015 | 0 | n/a |
| Sarawak | 7th | 2014 | 4 | 4 | 2014 | 1 | 1997 |
| Selangor | 2nd | 1983 | 7 | 7 | 2006–07 | 6 | 2010 |
| Sime Darby | 5th | 2014 | 1 | 1 | 2014 | 0 | n/a |
| Felda United | 2nd in the Premier League | 2011 | 3 | 3 | 2015 | 0 | n/a |
| Terengganu | 4th | 1983 | 5 | 5 | 2005–06 | 0 | n/a |
Champions
Since its inception in 2004, the Malaysia Super League title has seen 6 different teams crowned as champions. Kedah FA becomes the first club that won the Super League Malaysia title back-to-back, in 2006–07 season and in 2007–08 season. Kelantan FA also managed to win back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.
The Lions XII won the 2013 Malaysia Super League with a 4–0 victory over Felda United at the Jalan Besar Stadium, in which they were unbeaten with 10 wins, and 1 draw throughout the whole season.
Champions
| Year | Champion | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Pahang | Public Bank | Perlis |
| 2005 | Perlis | Pahang | Perak |
| 2006 | Negeri Sembilan | Melaka TM | Perak |
| 2007 | Kedah | Perak | DPMM |
| 2008 | Kedah (2) | Negeri Sembilan | Johor FC |
| 2009 | Selangor | Perlis | Kedah |
| 2010 | Selangor (2) | Kelantan | Terengganu |
| 2011 | Kelantan | Terengganu | Selangor |
| 2012 | Kelantan (2) | LionsXII | Selangor |
| 2013 | LionsXII | Selangor | Johor Darul Ta'zim |
| 2014 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | Selangor | Pahang |
| 2015 | |||
Performance by club (2004–current)
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Seasons | Runners-up Seasons |
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| Selangor | |
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| Kelantan | |
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| Kedah | |
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| Pahang | |
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| Negeri Sembilan | |
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| Perlis | |
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| LionsXII | |
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| Johor Darul Ta'zim | |
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| Public Bank | |
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| Melaka TM | |
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| Perak | |
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| Terengganu | |
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Great honours
Great honours are titled for the team who won 2 trophies (double) and 3 trophies (treble) in the same season. It covers Malaysia Super League, Malaysia FA Cup and Malaysia Cup.
Treble
See The Double and The Treble
See List of Malaysia football champions
| Team | Year | Winning titles |
|---|---|---|
| Kedah FA | 2006–07 | Super League, Malaysia FA Cup, Malaysia Cup |
| Kedah FA | 2007–08 | Super League, Malaysia FA Cup, Malaysia Cup |
| Kelantan FA | 2012 | Super League, Malaysia FA Cup, Malaysia Cup |
Double
| Team | Year | Winning titles |
|---|---|---|
| Pahang FA | 2014 | FA Cup, Malaysia Cup |
| Selangor FA | 2009 | Super League, FA Cup |
| Selangor FA | 2005 | FA Cup, Malaysia Cup |
| Selangor FA | 1997 | Malaysia Division 1, Malaysia Cup |
| Singapore FA | 1994 | Malaysia Division 1, Malaysia Cup |
| Kedah FA | 1993 | Malaysia Division 1, Malaysia Cup |
| Pahang FA | 1992 | Malaysia Division 1, Malaysia Cup |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C. | 1991 | Malaysia Division 1, Malaysia Cup |
Teams/Clubs Records
| FA | AFC | FIFA | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teams/Clubs | Super League | Premier League | FAM League | Malaysia Cup | FA Cup | Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup | Total | AFC Champions League | AFC Cup | Total | FIFA Club World Cup | Total |
| Selangor FA | 7 | 2 | 7 | 32 | 5 | 8 | 61 | – | - | 0 | - | 61 |
| Singapore/LionsXII | 5 | - | 2 | 24 | - | 1 | 32 | – | - | 0 | - | 32 |
| Perak FA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 17 | – | - | 0 | - | 17 |
| Kedah | 3 | 3 | - | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | – | - | 0 | - | 15 |
| Pahang FA | 5 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | – | - | 0 | - | 14 |
| Penang FA | 3 | - | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | – | - | 0 | - | 14 |
| Kuala Lumpur FA | 2 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | – | - | 0 | - | 11 |
| Kelantan FA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | – | - | 0 | - | 11 |
| Negeri Sembilan FA | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | – | - | 0 | - | 8 |
| Terengganu FA | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | – | - | 0 | - | 7 |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C. | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | – | - | 0 | - | 6 |
| Perlis FA | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 6 | – | - | 0 | - | 6 |
| Johor Darul Ta'zim FC | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 1 | 5 | - | - | 0 | - | 5 |
| Sarawak FA | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | – | - | 0 | - | 4 |
| MPPJ FC | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | – | - | 0 | - | 4 |
| ATM FA | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 3 | – | - | 0 | - | 3 |
| PKNS FC | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 | – | - | 0 | - | 3 |
| Sabah FA | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | – | - | 0 | - | 2 |
| Kuantan FA | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 3 | – | - | 0 | - | 3 |
| Malacca FA | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Brunei | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| PDRM FA | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | – | - | 0 | - | 2 |
| Public Bank FC | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Kuala Muda Naza FC | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Sime Darby FC | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| PBDKT T-Team FC | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Pos Malaysia FC | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Betaria FC | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| Putrajaya SPA FC | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | – | - | 0 | - | 1 |
- Table shows teams' wins in all competitions
- Numbers in bracket shows runner-up finishes in competitions
- Although the FA of Malaysia has not recognised retrospectively the league winners for 1979–1981, these are included for statistical comparison.
- The figures in bold represent the most times this competition has been won by the team
- Singapore Lions XII will be counted as Singapore FA
Number of appearances
Included 2014 Malaysia Super League.
| Rank | Teams | Recent | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Perak FA | 2015 | 12 |
| 2 | Pahang FA | 2015 | 11 |
| 3 | Selangor FA | 2015 | 10 |
| 4 | Johor Darul Takzim FC | 2015 | 9 |
| 4 | Terengganu FA | 2015 | 9 |
| 6 | Negeri Sembilan FA | 2013 | 8 |
| 6 | Perlis FA | 2011 | 8 |
| 8 | Kelantan FA | 2015 | 7 |
| 8 | Kedah FA | 2012 | 7 |
| 10 | Sarawak FA | 2015 | 6 |
| 11 | T-Team FC | 2014 | 5 |
| 12 | Sabah FA | 2012 | 4 |
| 12 |  LionsXII | 2015 | 4 |
| 12 | Felda United FC | 2015 | 4 |
| 15 | ATM FA | 2015 | 3 |
| 15 | PDRM FA | 2015 | 3 |
| 15 | PKNS FC | 2014 | 3 |
| 15 | Kuala Lumpur FA | 2012 | 3 |
| 15 | Melaka TMFC | 2006–07 | 3 |
| 20 | Sime Darby FC | 2015 | 2 |
| 20 | UPB-MyTeam FC | 2009 | 2 |
| 20 |  Brunei DPMM FC | 2007–08 | 2 |
| 20 | Selangor MPPJ | 2005–06 | 2 |
| 20 | Public Bank FC | 2005 | 2 |
| 20 | PLUS FC | 2010 | 2 |
| 26 | Malacca FA | 2006–07 | 1 |
| 26 | Johor FA | 2010 | 1 |
| 26 | Kuala Muda NAZA FC | 2009 | 1 |
| 26 | Harimau Muda A | 2011 | 1 |
Foreign players
The professionalism of some teams have also been questioned. Most teams view foreign players as a necessity and as a result, most teams usually fill up their rosters with unknown foreigners. Teams usually sign foreigners based on their performances in pre-season trials. It is not uncommon for foreign players to be released after just two or three matches or be kept on the sidelines for an entire season.
The last case of unprofessional conduct involved Ivan Ziga, a Slovakian player who plays for Sarawak FA. Ivan Ziga claims his contract was terminated nine-months early without any explanation. He also claimed he was not paid. He took his plight to the Football Association of Malaysia but received no reply until Ivan Ziga threatened to take the case to FIFA.
Ivan Ziga's case is not uncommon in Malaysia, with most other cases involving African players who are either not paid or left stranded when their contracts are terminated early without any proper explanation given by teams.
Foreign players are to come back to the league starting from the 2012 season onwards. All foreign players must obtain International Transfer Certificate from their previous national football/soccer governing body that their previous clubs affiliated before they can be register with FAM to plays in Malaysia Premier League.
The early editions of Division 2 League, M-League, Premier 2 League and Malaysia Premier League used the same format for foreign players as the previous edition of second layer league in Malaysia, which allows club to have 3 foreign players from any countries without further restrictions. Further up, clubs can employ as many as 4 foreign players and only 3 of them are allowed to play together in a match.
Guidelines exist on the hiring of "Foreign Players" for the M-League.
Players awards
Golden Boot winners
See also
- Malaysia Super League seasons
- FAM Football Awards
- History of Malaysian football
- Expatriate footballers in Malaysia
- List of Super League Malaysia managers
References
- ↑ MSL perkenal dua logo baru Liga M (MALAY) Retrieved at 31 December 2011
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