Malaysia football team targets China friendlies to boost FIFA ranking

Following their victory over Vietnam in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 third-place match, the Malaysia national football team has set its sights on upcoming international fixtures against China.

Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan, President of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), stated that the team aims to utilize the November and March international windows to improve their FIFA ranking. This strategic improvement is intended to provide a better position ahead of the 2027 World Cup and 2031 Asian Cup qualifying draws.

Malaysia is scheduled to play two friendly matches against China in Guangzhou on November 11 and 17. The Malaysian side seeks to capitalize on China's recent struggles, as the Chinese national team has suffered three consecutive losses against New Zealand, Palestine, and Tajikistan without scoring a goal.