Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has launched the National Futsal Championships to be held at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam on 10-12 August. He helped conduct the draw where 23 men’s teams were drawn into six groups and 22 women’s teams will compete in five groups before the top 16 men and top 10 women’s teams advance to the knock-out stages. Football Association of Malaysia General Secretary Datuk Dr Ibrahim Saad said the tournament will be used to select players for both the men’s and women’s national teams for the South East Asian Games being held in Bangkok on 6-17 December. "But if we feel the national futsal teams are not strong enough we will withdraw from the SEA Games," he said.
Sarawak are the notable absentees while Negri Sembilan will only send a men’s team to the championships which offer a total prize money of RM220,000. Both the men’s and women’s champions will take home RM50,000 while the runners-up, third and fourth placed teams will each receive RM30,000, RM20,000 and RM10,000 respectively.
Men’s Group A: Johor, Maybank, Terengganu, Selangor; Group B: Penang, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan; Group C: Maksak, Sabah, Perak, Utusan Malaysia; Group D: Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, TV3, Armed Forces; Group E: Felda B, Perlis, Pahang, Malacca; Group F: Felda A, Proton, Police, RTM.
Women’s Group A: Felda B, Pahang, Kedah, Utusan; Group B: Felda A, Johor, RTM, Armed Forces, Sabah; Group C: Maksak, Penang, Malacca, Proton, Kuala Lumpur; Group D: Selangor, Terengganu, TV3, Maybank; Group E: Police, Perlis, Kelantan, Perak.
Sarawak are the notable absentees while Negri Sembilan will only send a men’s team to the championships which offer a total prize money of RM220,000. Both the men’s and women’s champions will take home RM50,000 while the runners-up, third and fourth placed teams will each receive RM30,000, RM20,000 and RM10,000 respectively.
Men’s Group A: Johor, Maybank, Terengganu, Selangor; Group B: Penang, Kelantan, Negri Sembilan; Group C: Maksak, Sabah, Perak, Utusan Malaysia; Group D: Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, TV3, Armed Forces; Group E: Felda B, Perlis, Pahang, Malacca; Group F: Felda A, Proton, Police, RTM.
Women’s Group A: Felda B, Pahang, Kedah, Utusan; Group B: Felda A, Johor, RTM, Armed Forces, Sabah; Group C: Maksak, Penang, Malacca, Proton, Kuala Lumpur; Group D: Selangor, Terengganu, TV3, Maybank; Group E: Police, Perlis, Kelantan, Perak.