Super League: Rejuvenated Penang Eye Top-five Finish

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 19 (Bernama) – Penang FC are banking on a blend of experienced and new players to target a top-five finish in the 2026/2027 Super League, with the Panthers squad now seen as more competitive than last season.

Penang head coach Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail said the squad had shown positive progress throughout eight weeks of pre-season preparations.

“From the first day until now, the players’ development has been very good and, compared with last season, the team is more robust this time,” he said at the launch of Penang’s 2026/2027 Super League season jersey at Universiti Sains Malaysia here today.

Wan Rohaimi said his team had finalised its 30-player squad, including eight foreign players, with the 50-50 mix of existing and new players creating healthy competition within the squad.

He said the competition was important to ensure every player was at his best ahead of their opening match against DPMM FC on Aug 23 at the City Stadium.

The 50-year-old coach said he already had an idea of the starting XI he would field, with the line-up not expected to differ much from the team that featured in their final pre-season match against Persebaya Surabaya last Saturday.

“Throughout the eight weeks of preparation, Alhamdulillah, we have gone through six friendly matches, and I can say that we are ready to start the season and promise a different challenge from last season,” he said.

He said Penang wanted to avoid an unconvincing start like last season and needed to secure positive results from the outset to achieve their target of finishing in the top five.

Besides retaining three existing foreign players, Penang has signed five new foreign players — Bakhtiyor Kosimov and Murodbek Bobojonov from Uzbekistan, Gayoso Javier Augustine from the Philippines, Enzo Nicholas Jacques Celestine from France and Dejan Tumbas from Serbia.

Meanwhile, Penang FC Board chairman Daniel Gooi said this season’s jersey was inspired by George Town’s Peranakan heritage, featuring patterns and motifs that highlight Penang’s identity while connecting tradition with the new generation through sport.

– BERNAMA