Malaysia is the world leader in the halal industry, which serves over 1.9 billion Muslims globally. The country has strong halal regulations, trusted certification, and hosts the world’s largest halal expo. Malaysia’s halal stamp is respected worldwide, and the industry is expected to reach $5 trillion by 2030. However, Malaysia hasn’t used this strength to help its struggling football league, which faces money problems and poor management.

The Big Idea: Halal Football League

The author suggests turning Liga Malaysia into the world’s first halal integrated football league. This wouldn’t compete with rich leagues like Saudi Arabia’s, but would offer something different – a trusted, ethical football platform that connects with halal businesses.

How It Could Work

Business Partnerships

• Football clubs could partner with halal companies from around the world
• Turkish food companies, UAE logistics firms, and Indonesian cosmetics brands could sponsor Malaysian teams
• Match days could include halal product showcases

Islamic Finance

• Clubs could use Islamic bonds (sukuk) to build stadiums
• Islamic insurance (takaful) for players
• Sharia-compliant investment funds for fans to own parts of teams

Tourism Connection

Malaysia’s Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign and the annual halal expo (Mihas) could promote football tourism, offering halal food tours and prayer-friendly stadium experiences.

Global Broadcasting Strategy

Instead of just focusing on local fans, Liga Malaysia could target Muslim majority countries and halal markets worldwide. Teams with international players could build fan bases in their home countries like Terengganu FC becoming popular in Nigeria, or Selangor FC connecting with Indonesian fans.

The 20-Year Plan

The plan would work like Malaysia’s economic development plans, with 5 year cycles and regular reviews. Goals would include:

• 30% of club revenue from halal partnerships by 2030
• Halal-certified stadiums by 2035
• Broadcasting on Islamic sports networks by 2040
• Clubs becoming ambassadors for halal lifestyle brands by 2045

Why This Makes Sense

Malaysia already has successful examples with Johor Darul Ta’zim and Selangor FC. The country has the trust, regulations, and market access to make this work. Rather than trying to compete with the richest leagues, Malaysia could create the most trusted and ethical football league in the world.

The idea is to turn Liga Malaysia from a struggling local league into a global platform that represents Malaysian values and connects the halal economy with football, creating a unique brand that appeals to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Original Article:

Newswav. (2025, July 29). Halal industry could dribble Malaysian football clubs out of misery. Yahoo News Malaysia. https://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/halal-industry-could-dribble-malaysian-232234454.html