Malaysia football team to face China and Yemen in November friendlies

The Malaysia national football team, known as Harimau Malaya, is scheduled to participate in Tier 1 international friendly matches against China and Yemen in November 2026. According to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), the team will face China on November 14 at Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou, followed by a match against Yemen on November 17.

Yemen enters the fixtures with significant momentum, having recently won Group B of the Gulf Cup 2026 to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. Despite being ranked 144th globally, Yemen secured a 5-2 victory over Bahrain and narrowly lost 1-0 to Qatar. Malaysia currently holds the 133rd spot in the FIFA rankings.

Local football observer Prof. Madya Dr. Zulakbal Abd Karim has expressed concerns regarding the delay in appointing a new head coach. He warned that a lack of preparation time could hinder the ability of a new manager to implement tactical approaches, build player chemistry, and effectively use these friendlies to improve the team's international standing and FIFA ranking.