Malaysia Super League 2026/27: a season guide

The 12 clubs

As reported by The Star in July 2026, the 2026/27 Super League has 12 clubs [2]:

• Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT)
• Kuching City
• Selangor
• Kuala Lumpur City
• Terengganu
• Star City, formerly Immigration FC
• Negeri Sembilan
• Penang
• Sabah
• DPMM, the Brunei club that plays in the Malaysian league
• Melaka
• Kelantan Red Warrior, promoted for this season

Kelantan Red Warrior took the place left when PDRM, the police club, withdrew. Our list comes from news reports rather than the MFL's own website, which we could not load, so check the MFL for any late change.

Why the season now runs August to May

Malaysian football used to follow the calendar year. From 2025/26 the league switched to an August-to-May season, the same shape as the Asian club competitions JDT and others play in, after a 14-month transition season to bridge the gap [5]. The 2025/26 season ran from 8 August 2025 to 16 May 2026. For fans, the change means the Super League and the Premier League now run side by side, which matters when you are planning which matches to watch; our Premier League viewing guide converts English kick-off times to Malaysian time.

Johor Darul Ta'zim's run

JDT won the 2025/26 title with five matches to spare, clinching it with a 3-0 win over DPMM in March 2026 [3]. It was their 12th straight league title, a run that has made them the reference point for every other Malaysian club and a regular in Asian club competition. The rest of the league's season is often a contest for second place and for the cups, where JDT can be beaten over one or two matches.

Squad rules for 2026/27

For 2026/27 the MFL raised the squad limit from 33 to 38 players by increasing local registrations from 18 to 23, while keeping 15 places for foreign players [6]. In 2025/26 clubs could field up to six foreign players at once: four of any nationality, one from an Asian country and one from an ASEAN country, with three more allowed on the bench [5]. We could not confirm whether the six-on-the-pitch rule is unchanged for this season.

The debate over foreign and heritage players has a national-team side too. Our Harimau Malaya guide explains the 2025 case over falsified eligibility documents and what it cost the team.

Where to watch

Astro renewed its partnership with Liga Malaysia for two seasons in August 2026. It covers the Charity Shield, the Super League, the FA Cup, the Malaysia Cup and the Challenge Cup on Astro Arena Bola, channels 803 and 804, and through Astro GO, NJOI, sooka and Astro X3, which Astro priced from RM39.99 a month [4]. We could not confirm whether RTM is showing any Super League matches free-to-air this season.

Sources