KUALA LUMPUR — The Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) inability to organise the National Women’s Futsal League (NWFL) has ultimately resulted in Malaysia’s decision to withdraw from next year’s Women’s Futsal Asia Cup Qualifiers.
The qualifiers, set for January, will decide nine of the twelve teams for the 2025 AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup in China.
This marks the first time Malaysia will not be fielding a team for the qualifiers since debuting in the tournament in 2015, where the Majestic Tigresses achieved fourth place in Nilai, with Farahiyah Ridzuan leading as top scorer with seven goals.
FAM vice president Datuk Seri Rosmadi Ismail, who also heads futsal and beach soccer, explained to Scoop that without the NWFL, the association has struggled to recruit top talent for the qualifiers.
He added that a lack of commitment from state associations and clubs has hindered the league’s organisation in recent years.
“The main reason we are not sending a team to the Asia Cup qualifiers is because we aren’t adequately prepared in terms of both readiness and strength. We cannot simply send a team just to make up numbers.
“Without the NWFL, we lack a structured platform to identify and assess the best players for the national team.
“Why couldn’t we organise the NWFL this year? Even though FAM invited state associations and clubs to participate, only three teams confirmed their involvement, forcing the league’s cancellation,” said Rosmadi when contacted.
He noted similar issues in 2023 when only two teams committed. Additionally, futsal often clashes with football tournaments, leading players, including national women’s football team members, to prioritise football.
“FAM hopes state associations and clubs will offer greater support and cooperation in forming teams for the NWFL in the future, providing a stronger platform for FAM to identify quality players to represent the national women’s futsal squad in international competitions,” Rosmadi added.
The last edition of the NWFL took place in 2022, with Melaka clinching the title with 27 points from six teams.
The Majestic Tigresses are currently ranked 28th out of 74 nations in the FIFA standings. — November 5, 2024
