Challenge Cup draw and opening fixtures

The new Challenge Cup will start next week on August 7 after the draw was done on Wednesday by MFL.

The eight teams were divided into two groups as follows;

Group A

UKM FC, Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu FC II

Group B

UiTM FC, Johor Darul Ta'zim II, Pulau Pinang, ATM

Negeri Sembilan are the only side from the Super League in the competition and they are the red-hot favourites to win the competition with possible challenges coming from Sarawak and Pulau Pinang.

The first two rounds of fixtures released by MFL as follow;

August 7: UKM v Sarawak, Negeri Sembilan v TFCII

August 8: UiTM v JDTII, Pulau Pinang v ATM

August 14: Sarawak v TFCII, UKM v Negeri Sembilan

August 15: JDTII v Pulau Pinang, UiTM v ATM

The matches are being played on weekdays as opposed to the Malaysia Cup competition that gets the weekend slot.

This new competition is created to allow teams that did not qualify for the Malaysia Cup to have more competitive matches.