KUALA LUMPUR: In view of expected flooding from the monsoon season, this year's Malaysia Cup will see a change of format with the group stage shelved.
This was announced by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) today.
"The MFL had a meeting with the Meteorology Department on Sept 29.
We were informed that the country will face heavy rain from October to December, and the government has warned of high tide, which will cause flooding nationwide," read the MFL statement.
"The 2022 season M-League fixtures became too congested after several teams had Covid-19 cases and important matches for the national team.
"Due to these reasons, the Malaysia Cup will start in round 16 with a home-and-away format.
"With the new format, the Malaysia Cup can be held even if there are postponements. The players will have enough rest days and teams will have more time to arrange their logistics, as well as enough time for match venues to be managed."