KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- The National Football Awards (ABK), the prestigious annual event recognising excellence in Malaysian football, has been rebranded as the Liga M Awards.
The Malaysian Football League (MFL) said in a statement today that the decision was made at the second board of directors' meeting for the 2025-2029 term, chaired by MFL president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan.
According to the MFL, the rebranding from ABK to the Liga M (M-League Awards) is intended to better reflect the scope of the evaluation process.
The MFL also announced that the 2025-2026 Liga M Awards are expected to be held in August 2026, instead of immediately after the conclusion of the Malaysia League (Liga M), as practised previously.
"The Liga M Awards more accurately represent an award recognising individual and team excellence in the Malaysia League, compared with the National Football Awards, which generally refer to the wider national football ecosystem, including the national team, age-group competitions and women's football.
"The change in the event date will allow the Liga M Awards Selection Committee to conduct a comprehensive assessment based on players' performances throughout the entire season, from the opening Super League match to the final match of the 2025-2026 season, namely the Malaysia Cup Final," the statement said.
The MFL said the revised schedule is expected to provide a more accurate reflection of the actual performances of players and coaches, as the evaluation will cover the entire season.
"It also allows decisive performances at the business end of the season, including goals, assists and outstanding saves in high-profile matches, to be taken into account during the selection process," it said.
A total of 15 awards will be contested in the inaugural Liga M Awards, including Best Goalkeeper, Best Defender, Best Midfielder, Best Forward, Best Coach, Best Import Player, Best Young Player and the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
-- BERNAMA
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