Melaka Football Association (MAFA; Malay: Persatuan Bolasepak Melaka) is the governing body of football for the state of Melaka, Malaysia. MAFA is responsible for coordinating and developing football in the state of Melaka and has teamed up with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) as the official governing body of football in Malaysia.
History
Origins
Malacca has sent a football team to play in Malaya Cup since its inaugural season in 1921.[1] In 1924, the team has been registered and now managed by the newly formed governance body of Malacca football, the Malacca Amateur Football Association (MAFA).[2] Since then, the football team has been competing in Malaya Cup and FAM Cup consistently. MAFA biggest achievement when they reached the final 1957 and 1958 FAM Cup led by Robert Choe.[3][4]
In 1979, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) changed the format of Piala Malaysia when they introduced the league stage that acts as the qualifying round for the knockout stage of Piala Malaysia.[5][6] It was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Piala Malaysia where teams compete in a one-round league before advanced to the knock-out stage.[5]
The football league in Malaysia has only officially started in 1982, after the introduction of league winners trophy. The league has been known as Liga Malaysia.[7][8] Malacca football team continued to compete in the league and has become the champion of the league during its second season in 1983? which has been the only time the Malacca team become a champion of the top-tier league in Malaysian football.
Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right. From 1982 until 1988 the league has an amateur status and continues its purpose as qualifying round for Piala Malaysia. Only in 1989 it is changed to a new format as Liga Semi-Pro (MSPFL), introduced by FAM as a way towards fully professional status. The inaugural season of MSPFL consisted of nine teams in Division I and eight teams in Division II.[9] Malacca has been put in Division II from 1989 to 1992 seasons.
^Wilson, Peter; Sim, Benson (1995). "The demand for Semi-Pro League football in Malaysia 1989–91: a panel data approach". Applied Economics. 27: 131–138. doi:10.1080/00036849500000015.
