Malaysia M4 League
Malaysia M4 League is a state level football league competition in Malaysia. The league was created in 2018 as part of Malaysian Football League plan to reformed Malaysian football league structure.
After a rebranding of Malaysian Football League in March 2018, the company has announced a reform lower league competition in Malaysia. In 2019, a new subsidiary of the company was formed as Amateur Football League which will be tasked to manage the third division and below. 14 amateur leagues confirmed as part of inaugural Malaysian tier five season The AFL has officially confirmed the formation of Liga M3 and Liga M4 as the third and fourth division of Malaysian League as an amateur league competition.
A total of 14 clubs has been confirmed to compete for the inaugural season of newly reformed third division, Liga M3 which replaced the former Liga FAM. While the states level competition will run in parallel and formed the Liga M4. The a qualified champion from 5 FA State League and 9 Social League teams are from the inaugural 2018 season was promoted to Liga M3.
History
Origins
Football arrived in Malaysia with the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading sport. Towards the end of the 19th century, football was one of the central pillars of most sports clubs in Malaya. However, it was not structured. Even when the Selangor Amateur Football League took shape in 1905 – which ensured proper administration and organisation – the competition was confined only to clubs in Kuala Lumpur.The earliest recorded state football league took place in Penang, where YMCA won the league in 1909. The other earliest recorded winners for state football leagues were Johor in 1922, Malacca in 1929, Negeri Sembilan in 1929, Perak in 1932 and Selangor in 1935. Alongside the leagues, cup competitions also take place.
By 1933 the football of Malaysia was founded as Football Association of Malaya, which managed the local football scene at that time. By 1954, FAM joined FIFA as a member in the AFC.
Malaysia consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea, with eleven states and two federal territories in Peninsular Malaysia, and two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia. Each of the states has its own set of football league, and some may have multiple divisions with promotion and relegation rules among them. All leagues in all states run in parallel.
The leagues has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between league divisions at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the hypothetical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues or fold altogether, but an estimated average of 10 clubs per division implies that hundreds of teams are members of a league in the Malaysian men's football league system.
Although the state leagues are at the top in the state level hierarchy in Malaysian football competition, they are 8 state football association not officially directly under the national leagues competition as the club which won the top level of state leagues don't be promoted to the next level.
Overview
The states football league system consists of a pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each league can rise to a higher league, whilst those that finish at the bottom of their league can find themselves sinking down a level. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.In theory it is possible for a lowly local amateur club to rise to the pinnacle of the Malaysian game and become champions of the Liga Super. As the main leagues in Malaysia consist of three tiers, it is possible for a new team to become a champions in just three years if they perform well within the pyramid.
The top three levels contain one division each and are nationwide in scope. Below this, the levels have progressively more parallel leagues, which each cover progressively smaller geographic areas. Many leagues have more than one division. At the lower levels the existence of leagues becomes intermittent. There are also leagues in various parts of the country which are not officially part of the system as they do not have formal agreements with the football associations and run by independent organizers with mostly was held in forms of carnival style where the leagues duration is just couple of days of months. Clubs from state leagues may, if they feel they meet the appropriate standard of play and have suitable facilities, apply to join a league which does form part of the system.
State level competition
A state level competition were competed in 13 different states and three federal territories in Malaysia. While some states have an active league with a multiple divisions, some others might be in dormant or might only have a short duration cup competition in place. The reason for a lack of proper league system in some states and federal territories were because lack of proper management, marketing and funding from the football association in charged.District level competition
A district level competition were competed among clubs in the district located in each of states in Malaysia. It is runs by the district football association. Only certain district currently has known and active league or cup competition in place.Malaysia M4 League Seasons
Here you can view the season's in more detail2018
2019">2019 Malaysia M4 League">2019
Club Champions
2018
2019
Promotion and relegation rules for the top four levels
- Liga Super : The bottom two teams are relegated.
- Liga Premier : The top two automatically promoted. The bottom two are relegated.
- Malaysia M3 League : The top two teams are automatically promoted. Sometimes, teams might withdraw for financial reason and might be given permission to play in States League.
- Malaysia M4 League :
League system
Unlike most of countries that plays football as a main game, the league system in Malaysia still consist of representative from state association, clubs from company, ministry or government agency.
The Liga M4 is level 4 league combination of state FA leagues, social league and community league in Malaysia. They are administered and operated by the states football association or independent operator. The level immediately above is the Liga M3. The divisions include are:
- Note: League name highlighted bold is level 4 football league in Malaysia football pyramid
Play-off Champions & Runners-up
Year | Champion | Runners-up | Result |
2019 | KSR SAINS | IKRAM Muda | 1–0 |