Shah alam: This year's prestigious Datuk Mokhtar Dahari Cup has been officially rebranded as the 2026 Sultan Selangor's Silver Jubilee Cup Football Championship in conjunction with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the reign of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Organising Committee Chairman Datuk Emran Kadir stated that this strategic rebranding step elevates the status of the grassroots tournament to a higher level, while introducing a fresh carnival-style competition format modeled after the World Cup. This new format will involve 48 school teams across the state.
"This tournament was commanded by the Sultan of Selangor to be held in conjunction with His Royal Highness's 25th Silver Jubilee celebration. So we are organising this tournament just like we organised the previous cup, the only difference is previously there were only 32 teams, but now there are 48 teams," Emran explained. He further noted that the state government's sponsorship of RM500,000 will be distributed as initial capital to all participating teams, with each school receiving RM1,200 initially and RM1,000 for each round up to the semi-finals.
Emran added that the rebranding of the tournament applies only for this year, specially in conjunction with the 25 years of the Sultan of Selangor's reign, in line with His Royal Highness's own decree and idea. "This is only for this year in conjunction with Tuanku's 25 years of reign and after this, it will revert back to the Datuk Mokhtar Dahari Cup. Actually, this was all Tuanku's idea and the trophy itself will also be personally contributed by His Royal Highness," he said.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fadzli, the Selangor State Secretary, emphasized that the sponsorship is a sign of the state government's full support for the organising committee to unearth young talent and potential players who are considered future successors of the state's football. He stressed the importance of talent management and player discipline to ensure the under-15 age group competition runs smoothly.
Ahmad Fadzli also encouraged the organising committee to work closely with the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) and state sports bodies to monitor the potential of young players. "This sponsorship serves as an encouragement, except that after this, perhaps the state sports authorities, FAS, and others need to look at the existing working space regarding how the state government can assist," he said.
The tournament's opening match, which will serve as the curtain raiser, is scheduled for September 22, with the final match set to take place on October 31 at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium. The Sultan of Selangor will officially attend the closing ceremony. The championship offers a total cash prize of RM12,000 for the champion, with subsequent prizes of RM9,000, RM7,000, and RM5,000 for the second to fourth-place winners, respectively.