Instead of the usual heat in the national team matches, KLFA Cheras stadium is likely to have many empty spaces in the stands when the Malaysian team welcomes Laos.
The reason stems from the fact that the Ultras Malaya fan group (the most official and largest fan club) continues to maintain the campaign of not going to the stadium to cheer for the team.
According to the country's media, the boycott call is still maintained and is expected to last until the end of August. This puts the match of the second leg of Group B of the ASEAN Cup 2026 at risk of taking place in a quiet atmosphere, despite Malaysia just winning 2-1 against Myanmar on the opening day.
Not only facing difficulties in the number of spectators, Malaysian football has not yet identified the domestic broadcasting unit of the tournament. The list of copyright partners announced by the ASEAN Cup organizers still leaves the Malaysian market vacant, while many other countries in the region have completed television plans before the tournament starts.
On the pitch, Malaysia is rated higher than Laos, but the coaching staff does not want the players to be subjective. In the pre-match press conference, coach Tan Cheng Hoe said: "Only spirit is not enough in football. Players need to be intelligent, know how to control the match and handle situations well. We now have to unite and effectively take advantage of scoring opportunities.
He also noted the opponent's counter-attacking ability: "We are not allowed to underestimate Laos. They are a young team, motivated after the first defeat and very dangerous in counter-attacks. Malaysia must minimize ball losses in their own half and shoot more accurately".
Malaysia aims for a second consecutive victory to consolidate their position in Group B. However, besides the professional results, the atmosphere in the KLFA Cheras stands will be a noteworthy detail of the match when the national team has not been able to bring fans back to the stadium.
