KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is seeking greater financial support from the government under Budget 2027 to strengthen its operations and accelerate football development at all levels.
FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan said substantial financial resources were needed to manage a national sports governing body, particularly one responsible for the country’s most popular sport.
With Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim scheduled to table Budget 2027 this later today, Ab Ghani said FAM and other national sports associations were hoping for appropriate financial assistance to support their respective operations and development programmes.
“Regarding the Budget, I think FAM and other sports associations are hoping for some form of financial assistance because it is not easy to manage a sports governing body.
“More so when it comes to football, which is the number one sport in the country,” he told Scoop.
Ab Ghani also revealed that FAM was developing a new framework and pathway for Malaysian football, which would establish a long-term direction for the sport’s development.
He said the proposed framework would cover various aspects of football development and complement the association’s efforts to build a more comprehensive structure for the game.
“I also presented a framework or pathway for Malaysian football during the FAM executive committee meeting, but I cannot reveal it yet because we will launch it at a later date.
“It complements everything that I believe is important for FAM to be prepared, and we may launch it within the next three to four months,” he said.
Ab Ghani stressed that sufficient financial resources would be essential to implementing the framework effectively once it was unveiled.
He added that government assistance would help FAM pursue its development agenda through a more structured and sustainable approach, including efforts to strengthen the foundations of Malaysian football and prepare future generations of players.
The call for greater funding comes after the government previously allocated RM30 million for the development of the Harimau Malaya programme at all levels and for international competitions, with RM15 million of the amount contributed by the private sector.
The funding was intended to support FAM’s operations, nurture future generations of players and provide international exposure for the Under-23 squad as part of efforts to improve Malaysia’s competitiveness on the global stage. – October 9, 2026
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