PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is set to further expand the Puteri (Girls’) Under-15 Football League in a mission to develop more new talents to enhance the quality of women’s football in the country.
FAM’s Women’s Football Committee, Datuk Suraya Yaacob said she does not rule out the possibility of increasing the prize money to attract more teams to join the league.
“I hope more teams will join this league in the future. This year, nine teams participated, and next year we hope for more than 10 to join.
“With more teams participating, the league will be longer, and the prize money will certainly be higher. We have to wait for the committee meeting regarding the increase in prize money,” she said.
She said this when met by reporters after the closing ceremony of the Puteri U-15 Football League at the PKNS Sports Complex Field here today.
Suraya also said that FAM will intensify efforts to empower women’s football by collaborating with the Ministry of Education Malaysia (KPM) this July.
“If today we can successfully implement the Puteri League, which has been going well for over four weeks, we believe we can create even younger categories in the future, producing more players and allowing them to compete at various levels every year.
“Next month, we will organise a collaboration between FAM and KPM, which shows that many schools will be involved and have both boys’ and girls’ football teams,” she said.
The 2024 Puteri U-15 League Championship saw SSS Leopard FC crowned as the overall champions after accumulating 21 points from eight matches over eight weeks, taking home a prize of RM15,000.
The runner-up was Velocity Academy, taking home RM10,000 after collecting 20 points, while third place went to Melaka with 17 points, bringing home RM5,000.
Velocity Academy player Putri Mia Alysa Ahmad Zakiyamani, 13, was the top scorer and named the most valuable player of the tournament, receiving a trophy and RM2,000 in prize money.
