Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Football League (MFL) will engage the services of foreign referees for the 2025/2026 Malaysia Cup final between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Kuching City FC at Bukit Jalil National Stadium here, next Saturday. MFL president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan announced the decision as a measure to ensure high-quality refereeing for the prestigious 99th edition match.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan stated that an official application has been submitted to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to secure the best line-up of referees for the event. The plan involves four foreign referees, which include two assistant referees and a video assistant referee (VAR). The MFL believes that utilizing foreign referees will maintain the integrity and smoothness of the final match, which holds significant attention from domestic football fans.

Ab Ghani highlighted that the Malaysia Cup final is a high-profile match, and incorporating international refereeing standards could enhance the experience for players, team officials, and supporters. He also mentioned that the presence of foreign referees might provide opportunities for local referees to learn and improve their standards through the exchange of expertise.

He added that the decision to involve foreign referees was discussed during the MFL Discussion with League Partners on April 29. While the MFL remains open to suggestions from league partners regarding competition management, Ab Ghani acknowledged the high costs associated with hiring foreign referees and noted that such decisions require careful consideration.