MFL Challenge Cup

MFL Challenge Cup
FoundedAugust 2018 (August 2018)
RegionMalaysia
Number of teams8
Current championsSelangor (1st title)
Most successful team(s)Terengganu II
Johor Darul Ta'zim II
PDRM
Selangor
(1 title each)
Television broadcastersAstro Arena
Websitewww.footballmalaysia.com
2024–25 MFL Challenge Cup

The MFL Challenge Cup (Malay: Piala Cabaran MFL), previously referred to as the Malaysia Challenge Cup, is a football tournament in Malaysia that is organized jointly by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). The tournament serves as a secondary-tier cup competition for teams that are eliminated during the round of 16 of the Malaysia Cup.

History

The tournament was created for the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League teams that did not qualify for the Malaysia Cup tournament through their league standings. The idea was mooted by the Football Malaysia in December 2017 as a solution to increase the number of competitive games.[1][2] The inaugural tournament was held in 2018, with eight teams divided into 2 groups of four and playing a double round-robin system. The winners and runners-up of each group qualify to the knockout stage. The tournament is held concurrently with the Malaysia Cup, with Challenge Cup games mostly played in midweek.[3][4]

Competition format

Selection of teams

For the 2018 edition, the team that finished last in the Malaysia Super League, and the sixth-placed to twelfth-placed teams in the Malaysia Premier League qualified for the tournament.[5] From 2020 until 2023 it was not held due to COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] The FAM announced its return in 2023, featuring 8 teams eliminated in the last 16 of the 2023 Malaysia Cup.[8]

Knockout stage

From the quarterfinals to the final stage of the competition, the matches are conducted in a two-legged format, with each team playing one match at home and another away.

Results

List of finals

Season Home team Score Away team Venue Attendance Ref
2018 UKM FC 2–2 Terengganu II Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam 1,485 [9]
Terengganu II 2–0 UKM FC Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium, Kuala Terengganu 3,800 [10]
Terengganu II won 4–2 on aggregate
2019 Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1–0 UKM FC Pasir Gudang Corporation Stadium, Pasir Gudang 4,830 [11]
UKM FC 1–0 Johor Darul Ta'zim II Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Cheras 1,778 [12]
Aggregate 1–1, Johor Darul Ta'zim II won 6–5 on penalties
2023 PDRM 3–0 Kuching City Petaling Jaya Stadium, Petaling Jaya 955 [13]
Kuching City 1–1 PDRM Sarawak State Stadium, Kuching 2,000 [14]
PDRM won 4–1 on aggregate
2024–25 Selangor 3–0 PDRM Petaling Jaya Stadium, Petaling Jaya 3,768 [15]
PDRM 0–4 Selangor Petaling Jaya Stadium, Petaling Jaya 2,232 [16]
Selangor won 7–0 on aggregate

Performance by team

The table shown performances by the six teams who reached the final stage of the MFL Challenge Cup.

Team Winners Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runners-up
PDRM 1 1 2023 2024–25
Terengganu II 1 0 2018 —
Johor Darul Ta'zim II 1 0 2019 —
Selangor 1 0 2024–25 —
UKM FC 0 2 — 2018, 2019
Kuching City 0 1 — 2023

Records and statistics

Final

Winning coaches

Season Coach Team
2018 Malaysia Mustaffa Kamal Terengganu II
2019 Croatia Ervin Boban Johor Darul Ta'zim II
2023 Malaysia Yunus Alif PDRM
2024–25 Japan Katsuhito Kinoshi Selangor

Top goalscorers

Season Player Team Goals
2018 Nigeria Michael Chukwubunna Ijezie UKM FC 13
2019 Japan Bruno Suzuki Terengganu II 6
Croatia Mateo Roskam UKM FC
Iran Milad Zanidpour
2023 Nigeria Uche Agba PDRM 5
2024–25 Chile Ronnie Fernández Selangor 4

Awards

Player of the tournament

Officially known as MASKargo Player of the tournament for sponsorship reasons, it is awarded to the overall best player of the season.

Season Player Team
2024–25 Chile Ronnie Fernández Selangor

See also

References

  1. ^ "FMLLP organise Challenge Cup remedy". Goal.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Challenge Cup a chance Premier League redemption silverware". FourFourTwo.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. ^ "Malaysia Challenge Cup 2018". Goal.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Malaysia Cup slot for Challenge Cup champions in future". Stadium Astro. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Eight teams play Challenge Trophy". NST.com. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  6. ^ Singh, Ajitpal (2020-05-05). "Save the Malaysia Cup from becoming 'painful'". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28.
  7. ^ "2021 Challenge Cup cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, says MFL CEO". 14 September 2021.
  8. ^ Bernama (26 January 2023). "Thrilling affair in store after vital changes to M-League calendar". www.thesundaily.my. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  10. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  11. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  12. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  13. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  14. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  15. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  16. ^ "FAM - CMS". cms.fam.org.my. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
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