The Allianz Junior Football Championship (AJFC) Malaysia League is back and like always, there’s everything to play for.
The League kicks off this 29 February with matches in Central and Southern region. Northern and East Coast region will play their first match on 7 March while teams in Sabah and Sarawak start their campaign on 14 March. The competition will pit the best teams from six regions as they vie to be crowned Regional champions and earn a shot at winning the AJFC Malaysia League 2020 title.
Each region will feature 16 teams, divided into two groups of eight teams (Group A and B). Teams will play each other in a round-robin format, and each match will be 70 minutes long. Group winners in Group A and B will then play in the regional finals. (Note: For the full schedule, please refer to the appendix).
To commemorate the launch of the League, Allianz Malaysia FC took on Team Media FC in a friendly match at Stadium UM Arena last night. Allianz Malaysia team featuring AJFC Head Selector K. Gunalan and Assistant Selectors Mohd Nizaruddin Yusof and Rudie Ramli carved out a 4-1 win.
Allianz Malaysia Berhad Chief Executive Officer Zakri Khir who was part of the Allianz Malaysia FC line-up said it was important for AJFC to continuously evolve to provide young players with opportunities to develop their potential.
“Football is not just about having physical attributes or talent. I think we have seen that first-hand with players like Lionel Messi and how he is regarded as one of the best of his generation for his high football intelligence, ability to read the game and competitive spirit on the pitch. That is what we hope to cultivate through this competition and provide our young players with exposure to different experiences that will help shape them into better footballers,” said Zakri.
Besides the title, the players aged 14 to 16 years old will also be vying for individual honours and the chance to be part of Allianz Explorer Camp (AEC) – Football Edition Asia in Manila, Philippines on from 27 to 31 July and AEC – Football Edition Global in Munich, Germany in August.
Moreover, this year, the Company will be taking 14 players to the AEC Asia, from 10 spots offered in previous years. In Singapore, the two Malaysian players will be selected to be part of AEC Global. At both AEC campaigns, the players will also have the chance to experience activities beyond football.
