Malaysia Super League's 15-foreign-player rule sparks fairness concerns

The Malaysia Super League's (MSL) increase in the foreign player quota to 15 has raised concerns about a growing disparity between wealthy and less affluent clubs.

The Malaysian Football League (MFL) recently announced a change to its foreign player quota for the 2025-2026 season, raising it from 10 to 15. Teams can now register 12 foreign players of any nationality, one from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and two from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Matchday squads can initially include six foreign players (4-1-2), later reduced to (4-1-1).

The previous 2024-2025 season allowed 10 foreign players: eight of any nationality, one AFC player, and one ASEAN player, with a matchday registration limit of six (4-1-1) plus one substitute.

Johor Darul Tazim's starting lineup in their 4-0 victory over Real Murcia during their pre-season tour of Europe ahead of the 2025-2026 season. Arif Aiman (center, bottom row) is the only player of full Malaysian descent, while Hector Hevel (second from left, bottom row), Natxo Insa (second from right, bottom row), and Jon Irazabal (top right) are of mixed Malaysian heritage. Photo: JDT

While the MFL stated that "the presence of foreign players certainly increases the attractiveness of the league," they emphasized that "the core objective remains to develop local talent to support the Football Association of Malaysia and strengthen the national team."

However, the increased quota has sparked controversy. The Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times (NST) ran a headline questioning whether the change favors wealthier MSL clubs.

Football expert Datuk Pekan Ramli argues that the 15-foreign-player policy requires further consideration. "The issue is not just the number but also the plan," Ramli told NST. "Dropping one ASEAN player from the field seems neutral, but it could be a subtle change to benefit certain teams."

The MFL's announcement, just three weeks before the MSL's August 8 start, also raised concerns about club preparations. "Not every team has the flexibility to quickly adapt in terms of squad depth or tactics," Ramli added.

Last season, Johor Darul Tazim, the only team to register the full 10 foreign players, won their 11th consecutive MSL title. The club, owned by Tunku Ismail, the Crown Prince of Johor, is considered the wealthiest in Malaysia. PDRM FC and Selangor registered 9 players, while the remaining 11 teams registered between one and seven.

While the number of foreign players allowed on the field hasn't increased this season, wealthier teams like Johor now have five additional players to rotate, potentially widening the gap between them and other clubs. Johor also added four players of mixed Malaysian heritage to their roster: Joao Figueiredo, Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, and Nacho Mendez, all Malaysian internationals.

Brazilian-born Malaysian player Joao Figueiredo (left) celebrates scoring the opening goal in Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the second leg of Group F of the final round of 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia, on 10/6/2025. Photo: Hai Tu

Initially, the reduction of one ASEAN player slot was seen as a way to increase opportunities for local players. However, Ramli believes it disadvantages smaller clubs. "Large clubs bring in many quality foreign players. But for some teams with limited resources, ASEAN players play an important role in balancing the squad, even if their quality isn't better than local players," he explained.

The 13-team MSL 2025-2026 season will run from 8/8/2025 to 16/5/2026. Sri Pahang withdrew due to financial difficulties.

Other leagues also face similar debates. Indonesia's Liga 1 allows 11 foreign players, with eight allowed to play per match. The V-League is yet to decide whether to allow four foreign players on the field or three with one substitute. The Thai League 1 permits seven foreign players of any nationality and unlimited ASEAN players.

Hieu Luong

By VnExpress: https://vnexpress.net/giai-vdqg-malaysia-bi-nghi-uu-ai-doi-giau-khi-dung-15-ngoai-binh-4913114.html