The Malaysia M4 League (Malay: Liga M4 Malaysia), also known as the al-ikhsan Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier football league in the Malaysian football league system.[1] The league was created in 2018 as part of the Malaysian Football League's plan to reform the Malaysian football league structure.
After a rebranding of the Malaysian Football League (MFL) in March 2018, the company announced a reform of lower league competitions in Malaysia.[2][3] In 2019, a new subsidiary of the company was formed, known as the Amateur Football League (AFL) which was tasked to manage the third division and below.[4] The AFL officially confirmed the formation of the Malaysia M3 League and Malaysia M4 League as the third and fourth divisions of the Malaysian football league system.[5]
A total of 14 clubs were confirmed to compete in the inaugural season of the newly reformed third division, the Malaysia M3 League, which replaced the former Malaysia FAM League while the 5 FA state leagues and 9 social leagues ran in parallel to form the Malaysia M4 League.[5]
Starting in 2023, the Malaysia M4 League will renew its format as it will be a nationwide-single league, participated by champions of AFL-approved state or district leagues from Malaysia M5 League and relegated teams from Malaysia M3 League.
Football arrived in Malaysia (British Malaya at that time) as courtesy of the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading and most popular 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 (SAFL) 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.[6] The other earliest recorded winners of state football leagues were Johor in 1922 (P.W.D.A.A.), Malacca in 1929 (Malacca Chinese FA), Negeri Sembilan in 1929 (Nilai Club), Perak in 1932 (Perak Chinese RC) and Selangor in 1935 (Rangers).[6] Alongside the leagues, cup competitions also took place.[6]
By 1933 the administration for the football in Malaya was founded as the Football Association of Malaya (FAM), which managed the local football scene at that time.[7] By 1954, the FAM joined FIFA as a member of the AFC.
The leagues have 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.
For the 2021 season, the AFL has announced the format changes for the Malaysia M3 and M4 Leagues in preparation for the transition to semi-professional status.
Overview
The M4 league were part of the Malaysian football pyramid of leagues, bound together by the principle of promotion and relegation. A certain number of the most successful clubs in each state FA, social and community M5 league can rise to this division, whilst those that finish at the bottom of M3 league can find themselves relegate to this league. In addition to sporting performance, promotion is usually contingent on meeting criteria set by the higher league, especially concerning appropriate facilities and finances.
Promotion and relegation rules for the top four levels
Malaysia Super League (level 1, 14 teams): The bottom two teams are relegated. No relegation for 2023 season.
Malaysia M2 League (level 2, 12 teams): The top two automatically promoted. The bottom two are relegated. The league not running in 2023
Malaysia M3 League (level 3, 14 teams): The top two teams are automatically promoted to Super League. Sometimes, teams might withdraw for financial reasons and might be given permission to play in their State Leagues.
The table below shows the current structure of the system. For each division, its official name, sponsorship name (which differs from its historic name) and number of clubs is given. At levels 1–4, each division promotes to the division(s) that lie directly above it and relegates to the division(s) that lie directly below it. Below that level, individual league articles detail promotion and relegation arrangements.
Unlike most countries that play football as a main game, the league system in Malaysia still consists of representatives from state associations, clubs from companies, ministries or government agencies.
The Malaysia M4 League is at level 4 of the pyramid that was made up of a combination of leagues consisting of state FA leagues, social leagues and community leagues in Malaysia back in 2019. They are administered and operated by their state football associations or independent operators. The level immediately above is the Malaysia M3 League.
The various state FA leagues, social leagues and community leagues were later demoted to a division below called Malaysia M5 League in 2022 to make way for a proper single league stage in 2023 which included teams that been relegated from M3 League and champions of various state M5 Leagues. The divisions included are:
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