Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League

MBSB Bank Championship
Organising body	Malaysian Football League (MFL)
Founded	13 January 2019; 6 years ago
Country	Malaysia
Confederation	AFC
Number of clubs	15
Level on pyramid	2
Promotion to	Malaysia Super League
Relegation to	Malaysia A2 Amateur League
Domestic cup(s)	Malaysia FA Cup; Malaysia Cup; MFL Challenge Cup
Current champions	Melaka (1st title) ; (2024–25)
Most championships	Kelantan Darul Naim; PIB Shah Alam; Immigration FC ; Melaka ; (1 title each)
TV partners	MYTV; AFL (YouTube)
Website	https://the-afl.my/
	Current: 2024–25 Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League

The Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League (Malay: Liga A1 Semi-Pro Malaysia, previously known as the Malaysia M3 League, currently known as the MBSB Bank Championship due to sponsorship reasons) is the second level football league of the Malaysian football league system.^[1] The league was created as part of the Malaysian Football League's plan to reform the domestic league structure, and replacement of the former Malaysia FAM League.^[2]

History

In 2018, the Malaysia M3 League was supposed to form the fourth division of the Malaysian football league system. However, after the Football Association of Malaysia confirmed a reform of the Malaysia FAM League to return to a knockout competition format, the league was announced as a replacement for the Malaysia FAM League to form the de facto third division of the Malaysian football league system.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

After a rebranding of the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP) to the Malaysian Football League (MFL) in March 2018, the company announced a reform of the lower league competitions in Malaysia.^[7]^[8] In 2019, a new subsidiary of the company was formed, known as the Amateur Football League (AFL) which was tasked to manage the new third division and below.^[9] The AFL officially confirmed the formation of the Malaysia M3 League and the Malaysia M4 League as the third and fourth divisions of the Malaysian football league system.^[10]

A total of 14 clubs were confirmed to compete in the inaugural season of the newly reformed third division, with the Malaysia M3 League replacing the former Malaysia FAM League.^[11] Qualified champions from the 5 FA State leagues and 9 Social leagues in 2018 were promoted to the inaugural 2019 Malaysia M3 League season.

For the 2020 season, the Malaysia M3 League was divided into two groups of 10 teams.^[12] At the end of the season, the top team from each group was promoted to the Malaysia Premier League.^[13] This however did not happen because of the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was declared null and void.^[14]

For the 2021 season, the AFL announced format changes for the Malaysia M3 League and Malaysia M4 League in preparation for more participating teams to become professional by 2022. However, due to the pandemic, AFL postponed the start of the season to late 2021, before cancelling it altogether.^[15]

Champions, runners-up and third places

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Third place
2019	Kelantan United	Kuching City	Armed Forces
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Not held
2022	PIB Shah Alam	Kuala Lumpur Rovers	Immigration BRM FC
2023	Immigration	Kuala Lumpur Rovers	Harini
2024–25	Melaka	Immigration	Kuala Lumpur Rovers

Wins by the clubs

Club	Wins
Kelantan United	1
PIB Shah Alam	1
Immigration	1
Melaka	1

Performance by club (2019–present)

Club	Champions	Runners-up
Immigration	1 (2023)	1 (2024–25)
Kelantan United	1 (2019)	—
PIB Shah Alam	1 (2022)	—
Melaka	1 (2024–25)	—
Kuala Lumpur Rovers	—	2 (2022, 2023)
Kuching City	—	1 (2019)

Records and achievements

Golden boot winners

Below is the list of golden boot winners of the league since its inception in 2019.

Season	Player	Club	Goals
2019	Fakhrul Zaman	Kelantan United	28
2022	Firdaus Azizul	Immigration	22
2023	Azim Rahim	Immigration	24
2024–25	Azim Rahim	Melaka	22

References

^ http://johorsoutherntigers.com.my/14-state-and-social-league-organisers-sign-agreement-to-join-m5-league/ Archived 22 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine 14 STATE AND SOCIAL LEAGUE ORGANISERS SIGN AGREEMENT TO JOIN M5 LEAGUE
^ Eric Samuel (7 May 2015). "More domestic football on TV next season". The Star. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
^ "FAM Cup to be contested as knockout competition in 2019 | Goal.com Malaysia". www.goal.com. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ Hashim, Firdaus (13 November 2018). "FAM Cup faces uncertainty, MFL ready to step in | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ "Piala FAM 2019 | FAM". www.fam.org.my. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ "FAM cadang perkenal format baharu Liga FAM". www.astroawani.com. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
^ Noor, Rizar Mohd (25 March 2018). "TMJ: Thank you Malaysian football and goodbye | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/johor-crown-prince-resigns-as-fam-president-appointed-as-10076070 Johor crown prince resigns as FAM President, appointed as Malaysia Football League chairman
^ "14 amateur leagues confirmed as part of inaugural Malaysian tier five season | Goal.com Malaysia". www.goal.com. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
^ https://www.foxsports.com.my/malaysia/46879/14-pasukan-sedia-bersaing-di-liga-m3-malaysia-2019/ 14 pasukan sedia bersaing di Liga M3 Malaysia 2019
^ https://www.foxsports.com.my/liga-malaysia/38174/gambaran-struktur-piramid-bola-sepak-malaysia-2019/ Gambaran struktur piramid bola sepak Malaysia 2019
^ "AFL umum penstrukturan semula Liga M3, 20 pasukan dalam saingan musim 2020". Vocket FC.
^ "Pasukan bertanding ambil langkah positif penstrukturan Liga M3". Semuanya Bola.
^ "M3 League cancelled due to Covid-19". New Straits Times.
^ "M3 League competition cancelled again - AFL chairman". 14 September 2021.

[LigaM42018-1] ttp://johorsoutherntigers.com.my/14-state-and-social-league-organisers-sign-agreement-to-join-m5-league/ Archived 22 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine 14 STATE AND SOCIAL LEAGUE ORGANISERS SIGN AGREEMENT TO JOIN M5 LEAGUE

[domesticfootball-2] Eric Samuel (7 May 2015). "More domestic football on TV next season". The Star. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2017.

[3] "FAM Cup to be contested as knockout competition in 2019 | Goal.com Malaysia". www.goal.com. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[4] Hashim, Firdaus (13 November 2018). "FAM Cup faces uncertainty, MFL ready to step in | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[5] "Piala FAM 2019 | FAM". www.fam.org.my. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[6] "FAM cadang perkenal format baharu Liga FAM". www.astroawani.com. Retrieved 9 April 2024.

[MFL1-7] Noor, Rizar Mohd (25 March 2018). "TMJ: Thank you Malaysian football and goodbye | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[MFL2-8] ttps://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/johor-crown-prince-resigns-as-fam-president-appointed-as-10076070 Johor crown prince resigns as FAM President, appointed as Malaysia Football League chairman

[9] "14 amateur leagues confirmed as part of inaugural Malaysian tier five season | Goal.com Malaysia". www.goal.com. 25 March 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

[10] ttps://www.foxsports.com.my/malaysia/46879/14-pasukan-sedia-bersaing-di-liga-m3-malaysia-2019/ 14 pasukan sedia bersaing di Liga M3 Malaysia 2019

[11] ttps://www.foxsports.com.my/liga-malaysia/38174/gambaran-struktur-piramid-bola-sepak-malaysia-2019/ Gambaran struktur piramid bola sepak Malaysia 2019

[12] "AFL umum penstrukturan semula Liga M3, 20 pasukan dalam saingan musim 2020". Vocket FC.

[13] "Pasukan bertanding ambil langkah positif penstrukturan Liga M3". Semuanya Bola.

[14] "M3 League cancelled due to Covid-19". New Straits Times.

[15] "M3 League competition cancelled again - AFL chairman". 14 September 2021.

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