Latest news with #NationsCup2025
The Sun
22-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
FAM to decide friendlies after CAFA Cup withdrawal
NATIONAL football squad defender Dion Cools has deferred the decision on Harimau Malaya's potential friendly matches in September to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and team management. He emphasised that the team still has ample time to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November. This comes after Malaysia's withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, set to take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29 to Sept 8. 'I think it's bad news (withdrawing from the 2025 CAFA Cup), but at the same time the management has done its best. We have work to do for the Asian Cup qualifiers, and I think that's the most important thing for us,' Cools said. He added, 'September is the best time for us to prepare for October (the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos) because we want to go to Saudi Arabia (the 2027 Asian Cup finals) and I think the management will make the right decision, and we have to trust that they will make the right decision. I don't want to panic about it, just stay with the team.' Cools made these remarks during the launch of a special edition jersey in collaboration with an international sportswear brand. FAM had earlier cited the rescheduling of CAFA Cup matches outside FIFA's international window as the reason for Malaysia's withdrawal, as clubs are not obligated to release players during non-FIFA dates. - Bernama
Barnama
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
FAM To Determine Friendlies After CAFA Cup Withdrawal
PETALING JAYA, July 22 (Bernama) -- National football squad defender Dion Cools has left it up to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and team management to decide on Harimau Malaya's involvement in any friendly matches this September. He said the national squad still had room to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November. This follows Harimau Malaya's withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, which will take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29 to Sept 8. bootstrap slideshow 'I think it's bad news (withdrawing from the 2025 CAFA Cup), but at the same time the management has done its best. We have work to do for the Asian Cup qualifiers, and I think that's the most important thing for us. 'September is the best time for us to prepare for October (the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos) because we want to go to Saudi Arabia (the 2027 Asian Cup finals) and I think the management will make the right decision, and we have to trust that they will make the right decision. I don't want to panic about it, just stay with the team,' he said. He was speaking to reporters at the launch of a special edition jersey created in collaboration with an international sportswear brand here today. Previously, FAM had announced that Harimau Malaya's withdrawal was due to a change in match dates, with fixtures now starting outside the official international window set by FIFA, making it challenging for the national team, as clubs are not obliged to release their players. -- BERNAMA
The Sun
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Harimau Malaya's late exit disrupts CAFA Nations Cup 2025 plans
HARIMAU Malaya's last-minute withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025 has disrupted tournament preparations, with organisers citing advanced planning stages as a key challenge. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) pulled out after the event dates (August 29 to September 8) conflicted with the FIFA international window (September 1-9), limiting player availability. CAFA clarified that player registrations could have been adjusted per match, stating, 'The final registration of players - selected from a preliminary list of 35 - can be submitted on a match-by-match basis.' This flexibility, it noted, would have allowed key players to join later stages. FAM earlier explained the decision stemmed from logistical and squad preparation hurdles. Despite Malaysia's exit, CAFA reaffirmed its commitment to hosting a competitive tournament. Group B, initially featuring Malaysia, Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, will proceed without the national team. - Bernama
Barnama
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
Harimau Malaya's Late Withdrawal Cause Distruptions To CAFA Nations Cup 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- Harimau Malaya's late withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025 due to kick off Aug 29-Sept 8 has caused certain disruptions to the ongoing organisational processes, particularly given the advanced stage of planning and preparations. As CAFA are aware the reason from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) that the tournament does not fully fall within the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) window (Sept 1-9) which caused the restrictions of players availability, it said the final registration of players can actually be submitted on a match-by-match basis. 'As per the tournament regulations, the final registration of players - selected from a preliminary list of 35 - can be submitted on a match-by-match basis. bootstrap slideshow 'This allows for maximum flexibility, including the possibility of key players joining the team for subsequent matches,' it said in a statement today. CAFA also said that previously Malaysia's participation had been confirmed well in advance, with full awareness of the tournament dates as well as schedule and those dates had never been changed from the beginning. Earlier today, FAM in a statement announced that the decision was made following the change in match dates falling outside the FIFA international window, posing challenges in terms of logistics, player availability and overall squad preparation. Despite Malaysia's withdrawal, CAFA remained committed to delivering a high-quality and competitive tournament for the people of Central Asia and beyond. 'We thank all participating nations for their continued support and cooperation,' it said. World number 125 Malaysia are supposed to play in Group B with the hosts, Tajikistan, reigning champion Iran and Afghanistan.
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Harimau Malaya are no longer pushovers
LOCAL football observer Datuk Richard Scully says Malaysia may have been drawn in Group B alongside world No. 18 Iran for the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025 next month, but the Harimau Malaya are no pushovers. He said any opponent would be wise not to underestimate them, as he believes the national squad has undergone a major transformation and is now in the right shape to take on stronger sides. He said Malaysia's recent resurgence has not gone unnoticed, with opponents beginning to take notice, a clear sign that the team is no longer being seen as underdogs. 'It's too early to predict anything, but what's clear is that teams are starting to pay close attention to Malaysia. The Malaysia of old is not the same as the Malaysia of today. 'Now, any team facing us will be on alert. I don't expect there to be big scorelines from either side,' he told Bernama. Scully has urged the Harimau Malaya to step onto the pitch without being weighed down by world rankings, insisting that 'numbers are just numbers' and anything can happen once the whistle blows. He stressed that while a win would be a welcome bonus, a loss should not be seen as a disaster, but rather a chance to identify and address weaknesses ahead of bigger battles to come. Apart from facing heavyweights Iran, Malaysia (ranked 131st) will also take on hosts Tajikistan (104th) and Afghanistan (160th) in Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup. Malaysia will kick off their campaign against Tajikistan on Aug 29, followed by clashes with Iran on Sept 1 and Afghanistan on Sept 4. All matches will be played in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. After the tournament, Malaysia will resume their remaining Group F fixtures in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, starting with matches against Laos in Vientiane on Oct 9 and in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 14. They will then face Nepal in Kathmandu on Nov 18, before taking on Vietnam away in March next year. Meanwhile, sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli cautioned that three straight defeats in the group stage could shake fan confidence in the new-look Harimau Malaya, especially among those still unconvinced by the inclusion of heritage players. 'At the very least, we need to reach the semi-finals for fans to continue feeling proud of this Harimau Malaya side. 'If we suffer heavy losses or crash out early, expectations will dip and it'll give critics of the heritage player concept the opening they've been waiting for to lash out,' he said. He also urged for the consistent inclusion of heritage players throughout the tournament, believing their presence is key to strengthening what he described as one of Malaysia's strongest squads in recent memory.
