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Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League

Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League
Country Malaysia Malaysia
Other club(s) from Brunei Brunei, Singapore Singapore
Confederation AFC
Founded 1989; 28 years ago (1989)
Folded 1993; 24 years ago (1993)
Divisions Division 1
Division 2
Number of teams 10 Division 1 (from 1990)
8 Division 2
Level on pyramid 1-2
Domestic cup(s) Malaysia Cup
FA Cup (from 1990)
TV partners RTM

Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League (MSPFL) or Semi-Pro League was a semi-pro football league in Malaysia that operated from 1989 until 1993. The league was managed by Football Association of Malaysia. It consist of two divisions, the Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League Division 1 and Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League Division 2. MSPFL was official established in 1989 as a semi-pro league competition for football team in Malaysia to qualify for Malaysia Cup.

During its inaugural season in 1989, 17 teams participated in the league divided into two divisions where nine teams were in Division 1 and eight teams in Division 2. Under the new format, only the top six teams in Division 1 and the Division 2 champions and runners-up will be involved in the Malaysia Cup. Malaysia Cup was played from the quarter-final stage, scheduled for November after the league was finished. The Malaysia Cup quarter-final and semi-final matches will be played on a home and away basis.

The league was the nation's top-tier league until it was succeeded by the formation of Malaysian first professional football league, the Malaysia Premier League (1994–97) in 1994 by Football Association of Malaysia.

The concept of an annual competition between the states in Malaysia goes back more than 95 years. In 1967 the Malaya Cup was replaced by the Malaysia Cup but the essentially amateur ethos continued until the semi-pro football league was introduced by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in 1979 as a 'halfway house' towards full professional status.

This football league competition involving the representative sides of the state football associations was first held in Malaysia in 1979. When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Malaysia Cup. It was not until 1982 that a league trophy was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions. Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right. From 1982 until 1988 the league is an amateur status continue its purpose as qualifying round for Malaysia Cup and only in 1989 it has officially changes to a new format as Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League and was just recognized as Malaysian League.


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