Malaysia Super League

Men's association football league in Malaysia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Malaysia Super League

The Malaysia Super League (Malay: Liga Super Malaysia), also known simply as Super League (Malay: Liga Super), is the men's top professional football division of the Malaysian football league system.[1] Administered by the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP), now known as the Malaysian Football League (MFL), the Malaysia Super League is contested by 13 teams. Until 2022, it operated on a system of promotion and relegation with the Malaysia Premier League, with the two lowest-placed teams relegated and replaced by the promoted top two teams in that division. The league replaced the former top-tier league, Liga Perdana 1 in the Malaysian football league system, which ran from 1998 to 2003.

Quick Facts Organising body, Founded ...
Liga Super
Liga Super Malaysia - ليڬا سوڤر مليسيا
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Organising bodyMalaysian Football League (MFL)
Founded2004; 21 years ago (2004)
CountryMalaysia
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs13 (15 from 2025–26)
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toMalaysia Premier League
Domestic cup(s)Malaysia FA Cup
Malaysia Cup
Malaysian Charity Shield
International cup(s)AFC Champions League Elite
AFC Champions League Two
ASEAN Club Championship
Current championsJohor Darul Ta'zim (10th title)
(2023)
Most appearancesIndra Putra Mahayuddin (330)
Top goalscorerIndra Putra Mahayuddin (106)
TV partnersRTM
Astro Arena
Websitewww.malaysianfootballleague.com
Current: 2024–25 Malaysia Super League
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37 clubs have competed in the division since the inception of the Malaysia Super League in 2004, with eight teams winning the title (Selangor, Kedah Darul Aman, Kelantan, Sri Pahang, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, LionsXII and Johor Darul Ta'zim). The current champions are Johor Darul Ta'zim, which won their tenth title in the 2023 edition.

History

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Origins

The Malaysia Super League was formed in 2004 following a decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to privatise the league. The inaugural season started on 14 February 2004.[2] As a result, the Malaysia Super League Sdn Bhd (or MSL Proprietary Limited) was created to oversee the marketing aspects of the league, but it was not fully privatised.[3][4]

The league has seen numerous changes to its format from eight clubs, at one point 14 clubs and now 12 clubs and then back to 14 clubs to accommodate changes to the league rules and withdrawal of certain clubs from the league in order to create a competitive environment and professional management among the clubs.[5]

Foundation

The Malaysian League was revamped to be a fully professional league in 2004 which coined the creation of a new top-tier division, the Malaysia Super League. Between 2004 and 2006, the professional football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels and two groups:

  • Top tier: Malaysia Super League (8 teams)
  • Second tier: Malaysia Premier League Group A (8 teams)
  • Second tier: Malaysia Premier League Group B (8 teams)
  • Third tier: Malaysia FAM Cup

The new top-tier Malaysia Super League was competed by eight teams while there were 16 teams competing in the new Malaysia Premier League which was divided into 2 groups. While there were only eight teams in the league prior to the 2006–07 season, positional movements were radical. Successive losses would condemn clubs to a relegation dogfight. Similarly, successive wins would put a team in contention for the title. The Malaysia Super League had gone through two format changes in its short history spanning three years. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) decided to expand the Malaysia Super League to accommodate 14 teams instead of eight, which was the number of league teams during the Malaysia Super League's first three seasons. But the plan was held off when some of the teams withdrew from the league due to financial reasons. The 2009 to 2012 seasons were the only seasons that the league would have 14 teams, with all teams playing each other twice culminating in 26 matches per team and 182 matches in total.

For the 2007 season, the Malaysia Premier League was combined into one division rather than two groups and in 2008 the Malaysia FAM League was revamped to a league format instead of a knockout competition format, with the latter itself replaced by a new third tier called the Malaysia M3 League in 2019:

  • Top tier: Malaysia Super League
  • Second tier: Malaysia M3 League

Development

In 2015, the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP) was created in the course of the privatisation of the Malaysian football league system.[3] The partnership saw all 24 teams in the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League involved, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) as the Managing Partner and MP & Silva as a special partner (FAM's global media and commercial advisor) to become stakeholders in the company.[6][7]

The FMLLP owned, operated and ran the Malaysia Super League. Besides that, other competitions in Malaysian football were also under its jurisdiction, which include the Malaysia Premier League, the Malaysia FA Cup, the Malaysia Cup, and the Piala Sumbangsih. It aimed to transform and move Malaysian football forward to another level.

More than a decade after the league's inception, a total of eight clubs have been crowned champions of the Malaysia Super League with Pahang being the first champions. Johor Darul Ta'zim have won the league 7 times while Kedah, Selangor, and Kelantan have won the league twice each; Pahang, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan and LionsXII have won it once. On 9 September 2016, Johor Darul Ta'zim became the first team to win the Malaysia Super League three times consecutively.[8]

Competition format and regulations

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Competition

The competition format follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from February to July, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for 22 matchdays, totaling 132 matches in the season.[9] Most games are played on Saturdays, with a few games played during weekdays. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champions.

Promotion and relegation

A system of promotion and relegation existed between the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League. The two lowest placed teams in the Malaysia Super League were relegated to the Malaysia Premier League, and the top two teams from the Malaysia Premier League were promoted to the Malaysia Super League. Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history:

Number of clubs throughout the years

More information Period (in years), No. of clubs ...
Period (in years) No. of clubs
2004–2006 8 clubs
2007–2008, 2024–2025 13 clubs
2009–2012, 2023 14 clubs
2013–2022 12 clubs
2025–present 15 clubs
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Qualification for AFC competitions

The champions of the Malaysia Super League qualify for following season's AFC Champions League group stages. The winners of the Malaysia FA Cup also qualify for the following season's AFC Champions League play-off slots. If a club lost during the play-off slots and were unable to reach group stages, the club will play in the AFC Cup play-off slots.

The number of places allocated to Malaysian clubs in AFC competitions is dependent upon the AFC Club Competitions Rankings, which are calculated based upon the performance of teams competing in the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup, as well as their national team's FIFA World Rankings in the previous 4 years. Currently, Malaysia are ranked 20th in the AFC Club Competitions Ranking.[10]

Club licensing regulations

Every team in the Malaysia Super League must have a licence to play in the league, or else they are expelled completely from the Malaysian Football League. To obtain a licence, teams must be financially healthy and meet certain standards of conduct such as organizational management. As part of the privatisation efforts of the league, all clubs competing in the Malaysia Super League will be required to obtain FAM Club Licensing.[11][12]

As a preliminary preparation towards the total privatisation of the league, FAM Club Licensing was created with the hope of it being enforced throughout the Malaysia Super League fully by the end of 2018 and in the Malaysia Premier League by end of 2019.[11][12] There are significant benefits of being in the top-division and readiness of the club licensing:

  • A greater share of television broadcast licence revenues going to clubs.
  • Greater exposure through television and higher attendance levels to help clubs attract more lucrative sponsorships.
  • Clubs developing substantial financial muscle through the combination of television and gate revenues, sponsorship and marketing of their team brands. This allows clubs to attract and retain the best players from domestic and international sources and to construct first-class stadium facilities.

FAM also established independent decision-making bodies known as the First Instance Body and Appeals Body that would function as an assessment body and the issuer of the license. These two bodies are composed of members that meet the requirements and conditions set by the AFC Club Licensing Regulations mainly within the field of finance and legal matters.[11]

Champions

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36 clubs have played in the Malaysia Super League since its inception in 2004, up to and including the 2023 season.

Season-by-season records

Titles by club

More information Club, Winners ...
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2024 season

More information Club, Position in 2022 ...
Club Position
in 2022
First season in
top division
First season in
Super League
Seasons
in top
division
Seasons
in Super
League
First season of
current spell in
top division
Title wins Last
title wins
Sri Pahang7th198220044119201352004
Perak9th in Premier League198220044019202322003
Selangor5th19822005-0638182005–0662010
Johor Darul Ta'zim1st20022006-0719172006–07102023
Terengganu2nd19822006–07351620180
Kedah Darul Aman8th198220043315201632007–08
Penang12th198220043112202132001
Sabah3rd19822004268202011996
Kuala Lumpur City6th19822010298202121988
Negeri Sembilan4th19822005-062911202212005–06
Kelantan2nd in Premier League198220092811202322012
PDRM6th in Premier League2007-082007-086620230
Kelantan Darul Naim5th in Premier League202320231120230
Kuching City3rd in Premier League202320231120230
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Remark : Top-division means the highest football competition in Malaysia which includes the Malaysian League (1982–1988), Semi-Pro League Division 1 (1989-1993), Premier League (1994–97) and Premier League 1 (1998–2003).

Other clubs

The following clubs that had competed in the Malaysia Super League or the top flight M-League before 2004 but are not competing in the Malaysia Super League during the 2023 season.

More information Club, Current League ...
Club Current League Position
in 2022 season
First season in
top division
First season in
Super League
Seasons
in top
division
Seasons
in Super
League
Most recent
season in
Super League
Title wins Last
title wins
Melaka UnitedDefunct (2023)10th in Super League19822006–07207202211983
Sarawak UnitedMBSB Bank Championship11th in Super League202220221120220
Petaling Jaya CityDefunct (2023)9th in Super League201920194420220
Perak IIMFL Cup201820182220190
PerlisBanned by FIFA and Defunct (2019)19822004258201112005
Selangor IIMFL Cup8th in Premier League201220126620190
UiTM UnitedAl Ikhsan Cup7th in Premier League202020202220210
Terengganu IIMFL Cup4th in Premier League201020107720170
Sarawak FADefunct (2021)19822004298201711997
Singapore LionsXIIDefunct (2015)2012201244201512013
Felda UnitedDefunct (2021)201120118820200
Armed ForcesMBSB Bank Championship3rd in M3 League (Group A)198220139320150
Telekom Malaysia FCDefunct (2007)20032005-06432006–070
Sime DarbyDefunct (2017)201420142220150
UPB-MyTeam FCDefunct (2010)2007-082007-082220090
Brunei DPMMSingapore Premier League2006–072006–07222007–080
KL PLUS FCKLFA Division 1200920092220100
MPPJ FCDefunct (2006)20052005222005–060
Public Bank F.C.Defunct (2006)200420042220050
Johor Darul Ta'zim IIMFL Cup1st in Premier League19822010191201011991
Harimau Muda ADefunct (2015)201120111120110
Kuala Muda NAZA FCKedah League200920091120090
Singapore Singapore FADefunct (1995)19859021994
Brunei Brunei FADefunct (2006)19821400
NS Chempaka FCDefunct (2003)2002100
TUDM FC1988100
Olympic 2000Defunct (1999)1998100
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Remark : Top-division means the highest football competition in Malaysia which includes the Malaysian League (1982–1988), Semi-Pro League Division 1 (1989-1993), Premier League (1994–97) and Premier League 1 (1998–2003).

Privatisation of the league's football clubs

The Pahang Football Association became the first FAM affiliate to separate itself from the management of its football team with the formation of Sri Pahang F.C. which was now under the management of Pahang FC Sdn Bhd starting from the 2016 Malaysia Super League season onwards.[13][14]

On 10 January 2016, Johor Football Association became the second FAM affiliate to follow suit when it separated itself from the management of its football team and changing its focus to state football development and the state league while the football team became its own entity as Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C.[15]

On 1 November 2016, Melaka United Soccer Association became the third FAM affiliate to follow suit with the privatisation of its football team as a separate entity known as Melaka United F.C. for the 2017 Malaysia Super League season onwards.[16]

On 6 November 2016, the FMLLP released an update regarding the club licensing progress where currently only Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. obtained the CLR while others were still in progress with 80 percent of the requirements completed.[17][18] All member clubs in the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League were required to obtain the CLR with the Malaysia Super League clubs required to obtain it by September 2017 while the Malaysia Premier League clubs were given an extended period from 2019 to 2020 as some clubs had only met 50 percent of the requirements completed.[17] The FMLLP had also suggested the FAM to ensure that clubs in the Malaysia FAM League to meet certain guidelines as this will allow them to get their license if they were to be promoted to the Malaysia Premier League.[17]

In February 2017, the FMLLP released a statement regarding the official status of Johor Darul Ta'zim and Johor Darul Ta'zim II F.C. where Johor FA changed its name to Johor Darul Ta'zim II and became an official feeder club for Johor Darul Ta'zim when the feeder club agreement between both clubs were approved on 19 August 2016.[19] Through the agreement, both clubs were allowed an additional four player transfer quota which can be used outside the normal transfer windows for players between both clubs. The feeder club was also required to register a minimum of 12 players under the age of 23 for its squad from 2017.[19] A feeder club will be required to be in the league below the main club at all times which meant that Johor Darul Ta'zim II will never be allowed to get promoted even if the club managed to win the Malaysia Premier League. By 2018, the feeder club must field four players under the age of 23 in their first eleven during match day and the feeder club were allowed to play in other cup competitions where the parent club competed such as the Malaysia Cup and the Malaysia FA Cup.[19]

Organisation

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Logo evolution

Since the inception of the league in 2004, numerous logos have been introduced for the league to reflect the sponsorships and naming rights. In its inaugural season, the Dunhill logo was incorporated as a title sponsor and it was the only season sponsored by the tobacco company before tobacco advertising was banned in the country.[20]

From 2005 to 2010, the Malaysia Super League incorporated the TM brand as part of its logo as the title sponsor.[21]

After the end of TM sponsorship's which lasted for seven consecutive years, FAM launched a new logo for the 2011 season where the league was partnered with Astro Media as a strategic partner for the Malaysia Super League's marketing.[22] The Astro brand was only incorporated as part of the Malaysia Super League logo from 2012 until 2014.

In the 2015 season, no title sponsor was incorporated when the league was sponsored by MP & Silva.[23] For the 2016 season a new logo was introduced as part of the takeover of the league by the FMLLP.[24] In 2018 and 2019, the Malaysia Super League logo included the Unifi brand logo as part of the league's sponsorship deal.[25]

In the 2023 season, Malaysian Football League (MFL) unveiled a new logo.

Logo and trophy

The 2018 Malaysia Super League logo was formed as a part of a rebranding due to title sponsorship reasons with TM under the Unifi brand. TM's Unifi brand was the new title sponsor for the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Cup following an eight-year partnership deal worth RM480mil until 2025.[26] But, TM pulled out as a sponsor at the end 2019 in order to save costs.[27]

The Malaysia Super League trophy is the prize for the twelve clubs that are competing for it in the league. Designed to be futuristic and elegant, the new trophy depicts a football on a pedestal, reflecting on the importance placed on winning the Malaysia Super League. It costs roughly close to RM200,000 (US$48597.00)[28]

Standing at a height of 63.3 centimeters and 25.2 centimeters in diameter, the 20 kilogram trophy is made of copper, silver and 24 carat pure gold. The trophy was designed and crafted to precision by the Royal goldsmith in Johor, taking eight months from the initial design phase to completion. The gold portions are to symbolise the exclusivity of winning the Malaysia Super League after enduring a tough long successful campaign. It inspires the teams to battle with all their might to get their name on the trophy.[28]

Sponsorship

More information Season, Sponsors ...
Season Sponsors Brand
2004 Dunhill Dunhill Liga Super[4][20]
2005–10 TM TM Liga Super[4][21][22]
2011 No sponsor Liga Super
2012–14 Astro Astro Liga Super Malaysia[21]
2015–17 No sponsor Liga Super Malaysia[24]
2018 Unifi Unifi Liga Super Malaysia
2019 No sponsor Liga Super Malaysia
2020 CIMB CIMB Liga Super Malaysia
2021–23 No sponsor Liga Super Malaysia
2024–25 CelcomDigi CelcomDigi Liga Super Malaysia[a]
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Finances

The FMLLP introduced a merit-point system in the 2016 season. Points will be awarded based on a team's league position, progress in the Cup competitions (Malaysia FA Cup and Malaysia Cup) and the number of live matches shown. A point in the season is worth RM41,000.[9]

The money will be distributed twice per season. First during the early part of the season where teams will receive a basic payment out of that particular year's league sponsorship and the second payment will be received at the end of the season where all the merit-points have been calculated.[29] For the 2016 season, the first basic payment consisted of a 30 percent cut out of RM70 Million in league sponsorship that equates to RM21 million which will be distributed among the 24 teams in the Malaysia Super League and Malaysia Premier League.

Teams in the Malaysian League have quite often been involved in financial problems as their spending was more than their revenue. The Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM) is one of the active members in pursuing the issue of unpaid salaries. In January 2016, PFAM president suggested a couple of solutions to promote financial sustainability on the competing teams' part where the teams should make long-term investments by operating according to their budgets and requiring teams' wage bills to be no bigger than 60 percent of their total spending. Other suggestions included that salaries to be deducted directly from team grants and winning prizes, to points being deducted from teams experiencing payment issues, and a ruling that requires teams to settle all their late salary payments before the start of every new season.[30]

In response to these issues, the FMLLP decided that at the start of the 2016 season, football clubs would be given warnings with the deduction of three league points if they failed to pay a player's salary.[31][32] If the problem persists, it will affect the licence of the clubs. When the club licence is withdrawn, the team will not be able to compete in the next season. If the team does not adopt the right structure, they will be left behind and club licensing will be a problem for them, and the team will drop out from competing in the Malaysian Football League.

Other than this, each teams must gain revenue from sponsorship deals from local, regional and international sponsors for their team.

Media coverage

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Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), a free-to-air channel, have been broadcasting domestic football even before the formation of the Malaysia Super League. They continued to broadcast the league most of the time exclusively until the end of 2010 where Astro Media were announced as sponsors and managed the broadcasting rights of the league for four years spanning from 2011 until the 2014 season.[33] During this time, the league was broadcast to one of the cable channels of Astro Media, which was Astro Arena alongside the RTM for the free-to-air broadcast.

In 2015, Astro lost the broadcasting rights for the league where the rights were given to Media Prima, a parent company of multiple free-to-air channels alongside RTM.[34][35][36]

The broadcasting rights for the 2016 season was given to Media Prima for three years with a maximum of three games in each matchweek that was shown live on television.[37]

In 2018, TM bought the exclusive rights of the coverage until 2025.[38] The coverage was aired by Unifi TV (excluding 2019), iflix (until 2019), Media Prima (until 2019), and RTM (excluding 2019).[39]

From matchweek 5 in the 2020 season, all remaining league matches were made available worldwide for free via the official Unifi YouTube channel.[40]

Current

More information Season, Languages ...
Season Languages Broadcasters Channel(s)
2018, 2020–present Malay Malaysia RTM Sukan RTM
2020–present TV Okey
2006–2015, 2018, 2020 and 2023–present TV2
2023–present Malaysia Astro Astro Arena Bola
Astro Arena Bola 2
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Former

More information Season, Languages ...
Season Languages Broadcasters Channel(s)
2005 Malay Malaysia Media Prima NTV7
2015–2017 TV3
2015–2019 and 2022 TV9
2011–2014 Malaysia Astro Astro Arena
2018, 2020–2022 Malaysia Unifi TV Unifi Sports
2019 Malaysia Brunei iflix Football Malaysia on iFlix
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Players records

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All-time top scorers

As of 3 December 2024
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Indra Putra Mahayuddin is the top scorer in Malaysia Super League history.

Golden Boot winners

Foreign players and transfer regulations

The Foreign players policy has changed multiple times since the league's inception.[5] In 2009, FAM took a drastic measure when they changed the foreign players policy that banned foreign players from playing in the league until 2011.[5] Foreign players were only allowed be back into the league starting from the 2012 season onwards.[5]

All foreign players must obtain the International Transfer Certificate from their previous national football governing bodies that their previous clubs were affiliated to before they can be register with the FAM in order to play in the Malaysia Super League.[5]

  • 2009–2011: foreign players banned.
  • 2012: 2 foreign players.
  • 2013: 3 foreign players.
  • 2014: 4 foreign players and only 3 can be on the field at a time.
  • 2015–2017: 4 foreign players including 1 Asian quota.
  • 2018–2022: 5 foreign players including 1 Asian quota and 1 Asean quota.
  • 2023: 9 foreign players including 1 Asian quota and 1 Asean quota but allowed only five import players to be fielded, which is three plus one Asian player and one ASEAN player

Records and achievements

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Crowd attendance

All data available to the public starting from the beginning of 2015 season.

More information Season, Overall Attendance ...
Season Overall Attendance Top 3 Bottom 3
Total Average Club Attendance Average Club Attendance Average
2015 883,225 6,691 Johor Darul Ta'zim 184,198 16,745 ATM FA 22,750 2,068
Kelantan 108,696 9,881 PDRM FA 22,300 2,027
Pahang 107,693 9,790 Sime Darby FC 17,960 1,633
2016 902,643 6,838 Johor Darul Ta'zim 191,982 17,453 PDRM 32,950 2,995
Perak 121,687 11,062 Sarawak 22,892 2,081
Kedah 103,421 9,402 Terengganu II 20,210 1,837
2017 872,108 6,607 Johor Darul Ta'zim 187,557 17,051 Sarawak 35,206 3,201
Kedah 161,626 14,693 PKNS FC 30,234 2,749
Pahang 82,964 7,542 Terengganu II 11,995 1,090
2022 623,384 4,723 Johor Darul Ta'zim 181,316 16,484 Kuala Lumpur City 15,105 1,374
Sabah 98,954 8,996 Sarawak United 12,181 1,108
Terengganu 72,790 6,618 Petaling Jaya City 7,867 716
2023 969,985 5,330 Johor Darul Ta'zim 229,097 17,623 Kuala Lumpur City 22,935 1,764
Sabah 128,270 9,867 PDRM 14,084 1,083
Kedah Darul Aman 112,456 8,650 Kelantan United 10,102 777
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Source: FAM-CMS[46]

Notes

  • No data from 2018 to 2021 season.

Clubs ranking in Asia

The final ranking position(s) for each participating MSL clubs in AFC Club Competitions.

More information Year, Rank ...
Year Rank Points Club
2015[47] 59 20.295 Kelantan
68 18.294 Johor Darul Ta'zim
88 12.295 Selangor
96 10.961 Pahang
108 9.295 Terengganu I
2016[48] 45 30.142 Johor Darul Ta'zim
79 14.477 Selangor
93 10.809 Kelantan
100 9.476 Pahang
2017[49] 34 38.95 Johor Darul Ta'zim
94 9.951 Selangor
98 9.617 Pahang
120 5.284 Felda United
132 4.617 Kelantan
2018[50] 23 48.70 Johor Darul Ta'zim
95 12.99 Pahang
108 9.66 Selangor
114 8.66 Felda United
2019[51] 33 40.77 Johor Darul Ta'zim
112 9.06 Selangor
122 8.06 Felda United
125 7.39 Perak
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*Bold denotes the highest ranked club for each year at the end of the season.

See also

Notes

  1. also known as CelcomDigi & MFL presents 20th Anniversary of Liga Super Malaysia (2004–2024) for 2024–25 season.

References

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