Harimau Malaya Sponsors 2026: Kit Partner, Deals and Fixtures
Malaysia Airlines and Puma lead Harimau Malaya's 2026 commercial line-up while FAM finalises two new local sponsors ahead of November friendlies in Guangzhou.
Harimau Malaya's two headline commercial partners in 2026 are Malaysia Airlines, the Football Association of Malaysia's main sponsor and official airline partner under a deal running to December 2026, and Puma, the official apparel and jersey partner since 1 January 2025. The next fixtures are China (14 November) and Yemen (17 November) in Guangzhou.
Key facts
- Malaysia Airlines is FAM's main sponsor, official main partner and official airline partner. Its current three-year extension runs from January 2024 to December 2026, according to Malaysia Airlines.
- Puma became Harimau Malaya's official apparel and jersey partner on 1 January 2025, replacing Nike. Nike had held the role for 18 years, from January 2007 to December 2024.
- ASEAN Football reported the FAM–Puma agreement as a four-year partnership. No fee has been disclosed.
- Bernama reported on 20 September 2026 that the new Puma home and away kits were on sale at RM319 for the retail version and RM549 for the authentic version.
- On 20 October 2026, FAM marketing committee chair Datuk Syed Mahadi Syed Hassan said FAM expected to sign MoUs with two large local companies soon. He did not name them.
- Malaysia play China on 14 November and Yemen on 17 November 2026. Both games are Tier 1 friendlies in Guangzhou.
- Under interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe, Malaysia finished third at the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, beating Vietnam 1-0 in Jakarta on 5 October 2026.
Who sponsors Harimau Malaya in 2026?
The national team's sponsorship structure is simpler than many fans assume. Commercial rights to Harimau Malaya sit with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), so any brand backing the team signs with the association. The two partners whose roles are publicly confirmed and current for 2026 are Malaysia Airlines, through its parent Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), and German sportswear company Puma.
Neither deal has a published value. Both companies have confirmed their category, their duration and the rights involved: the airline holds main-partner and travel rights, and Puma supplies kit and merchandise. This article only lists partners named in official releases or in reports from Bernama, Malay Mail, NST and ASEAN Football. Other logos may appear on FAM backdrops or matchday material, but if their terms were not confirmed in the reports we reviewed, they are left out.
| Partner | Category | Term | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia Airlines / Malaysia Aviation Group | Main sponsor, official main partner, official airline partner | January 2024 to December 2026 (current extension) | Not disclosed |
| Puma | Official apparel and jersey partner | From 1 January 2025; reported as four years | Not disclosed |
| Two unnamed local companies | Sponsors of FAM and Harimau Malaya (MoUs being finalised) | Not confirmed at time of writing | Not disclosed |
Malaysia Airlines: the main partner since 2019
Malaysia Airlines has been FAM's official airline partner since 2019. In July 2023, The Vibes reported that FAM and MAG had agreed to extend the partnership by three years. The extension began in January 2024 and ends in December 2026, taking over from an agreement that was due to expire at the end of 2023. FAM secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman and MAG group chief marketing officer Lau Yin May signed the deal. Then-FAM president Datuk Hamidin Amin and MAG chief executive Ahmad Luqman Azmi witnessed it.
The airline's own release of 30 May 2024 described the deal as its sixth consecutive year with FAM. It named Malaysia Airlines as main sponsor and as Official Main Partner and Official Airline Partner for the national teams and the association. The release did not give a financial figure.
For the national team, the airline partnership covers a large operating cost: flying squads, staff and officials to away fixtures and training camps. That will matter in the coming weeks, when Harimau Malaya fly to China for two November friendlies. The current term expires in December 2026, so whether and how the deal is renewed will be one of FAM's biggest commercial decisions going into 2027. No renewal had been announced at the time of writing.
Puma: kit partner after Nike's 18-year run
The biggest change in recent years came on 1 January 2025. That day, FAM announced Puma as the official apparel and jersey partner of Harimau Malaya, effective immediately. The announcement ended Nike's run, which began in January 2007 and finished in December 2024. ASEAN Football later reported the signing as a four-year partnership between FAM and Puma Malaysia. Neither side has published the financial terms.
In a kit deal, the brand typically supplies match and training wear and earns revenue from replica shirt sales. The partnership therefore depends heavily on fan demand for each new jersey. In late May 2026, the New Straits Times reported on a purported leaked image of a new yellow home shirt with thin black pinstripes. At that point neither FAM nor Puma had confirmed the design.
The 2026 Harimau Malaya jerseys
The official kits went on sale in September 2026. Bernama reported on 20 September that the new kit is inspired by the Malayan tiger. The home shirt has bold black and yellow stripes, and the away shirt is navy-grey with red and white collar trims.
| Version | Price (as reported 20 Sept 2026) |
|---|---|
| Retail (fan) jersey | RM319 |
| Authentic (player-spec) jersey | RM549 |
The launch was timed to the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia, the first tournament in which the squad wore the design.
New sponsors: what FAM has said
The most recent sponsorship news came on 20 October 2026. Bernama reported that Datuk Syed Mahadi Syed Hassan, FAM executive committee member and chair of the FAM Media and Marketing Committee, expected the association to sign memoranda of understanding with two new sponsors soon. He said both were large local companies, that both had committed, and that talks were at the stage of finalising the MoUs. The deals would cover both FAM and the Harimau Malaya squad.
Asked about claims that several sponsors had withdrawn, Syed Mahadi said he had not received clear information and knew of no official withdrawals. He also said FAM wants its media, marketing, communications, digital and commercial units to work as one team instead of in silos.
The two companies had not been named at the time of writing, and no values, categories or terms were given. This article will be updated once FAM announces the signings.
Harimau Malaya fixtures: November 2026
The fixture list changed in October. Malaysia had first been due to play China twice in Guangzhou, on 14 and 17 November. On 13 October 2026, Bernama reported that the Chinese Football Association had confirmed a revised programme: one match against China and one against Yemen.
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 14 November 2026 | China vs Malaysia | Guangzhou, China | Tier 1 international friendly |
| Tuesday, 17 November 2026 | Malaysia vs Yemen | Guangzhou, China | Tier 1 international friendly |
Kick-off times and the exact stadium in Guangzhou were not confirmed at the time of writing. In the same report, Bernama gave the FIFA rankings as China 96th, Malaysia 133rd and Yemen 144th. FAM president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan said the games are meant to earn ranking points and improve Malaysia's pot position for the 2030 FIFA World Cup and 2032 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Malaysia last met China in a Tier 1 friendly in Chengdu in September 2023, a 1-1 draw.
How the 2026 season has gone on the pitch
Results drive exposure, and exposure drives sponsor value, so the on-pitch record matters to any brand assessing the team. Malaysia's 2026 has been mixed. In March, The Sun reported that the team had already been eliminated from the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers ahead of its final qualifier against Vietnam. In the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup, Vietnam beat Malaysia 2-0 in both semi-final legs, the second at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on 19 August, to win 4-0 on aggregate.
The inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in September and October was better. Malaysia beat Bangladesh 3-0, drew 0-0 with hosts Indonesia and beat Singapore 6-0 in Bandung. They missed the final only on goals scored after finishing level with Indonesia on points and goal difference. On 5 October 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta, substitute Fergus Tierney scored the only goal of the third-place play-off against Vietnam. Malay Mail reported it was Malaysia's first win over Vietnam since the 2014 AFF Cup semi-final, and that the team did not concede a goal all tournament.
| Date (2026) | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 19 August | ASEAN Cup semi-final, 2nd leg (Hanoi) | Vietnam 2-0 Malaysia (4-0 aggregate) |
| 25 September | FIFA ASEAN Cup, Group A (Jakarta) | Malaysia 3-0 Bangladesh |
| 28 September | FIFA ASEAN Cup, Group A (Jakarta) | Indonesia 0-0 Malaysia |
| 1 October | FIFA ASEAN Cup, Group A (Bandung) | Malaysia 6-0 Singapore |
| 5 October | FIFA ASEAN Cup, third-place play-off (Jakarta) | Malaysia 1-0 Vietnam |
What this means for brands watching Harimau Malaya
For brands considering the national team, three points stand out from the public record.
- The main-partner position is due for renewal. The Malaysia Airlines extension runs to December 2026. Unless it is renewed, FAM's top commercial tier will need a decision in the coming months.
- Kit rights are settled until at least 2028. On the reported four-year term from January 2025, Puma's deal should run to the end of 2028. That leaves no apparel category open, but there is room for partners in other categories to work with Puma on fan merchandise and retail.
- FAM is restructuring its commercial operation. Syed Mahadi's comments suggest the association wants one integrated team handling marketing, digital and partnerships. That could make it easier for new sponsors to negotiate and activate deals.
Brands should note that FAM does not routinely publish sponsorship fees. Any figure you see attached to a Harimau Malaya deal that does not come from FAM, the sponsor or a named major outlet should be treated with caution.
FAQ
Who is the main sponsor of Harimau Malaya in 2026?
Malaysia Airlines, through parent company Malaysia Aviation Group, is FAM's main sponsor. It is also the official main partner and official airline partner for the national teams. Its current three-year extension runs from January 2024 to December 2026. The airline has been FAM's official airline partner since 2019. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
Who makes the Harimau Malaya jersey?
Puma has been Harimau Malaya's official apparel and jersey partner since 1 January 2025. It replaced Nike, which supplied the national team from January 2007 to December 2024. ASEAN Football reported the Puma agreement as a four-year partnership. The 2026 home and away jerseys went on sale in September 2026, ahead of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia.
How much is the 2026 Harimau Malaya jersey?
Bernama reported on 20 September 2026 that the new Puma jersey costs RM319 for the retail fan version and RM549 for the authentic player-specification version. The home shirt has bold black and yellow stripes inspired by the Malayan tiger. The away shirt is navy-grey with red and white collar trims. Prices may vary by retailer and promotion.
When is Harimau Malaya's next match?
Malaysia play China on 14 November 2026 and Yemen on 17 November 2026. Both are Tier 1 international friendlies in Guangzhou. The fixtures were revised on 13 October, when the Chinese Football Association confirmed Yemen as the second opponent in place of a second match against China. Kick-off times and the stadium were not confirmed at the time of writing.
Is FAM signing new sponsors?
Yes, according to FAM. On 20 October 2026, Bernama quoted FAM Media and Marketing Committee chair Datuk Syed Mahadi Syed Hassan as saying that two large local companies had committed and that MoUs were being finalised. The deals would cover FAM and Harimau Malaya. The companies, categories and values had not been announced at the time of writing.
Sources
- Malaysia Airlines strengthens role as main sponsor of FAM (Malaysia Airlines, 30 May 2024)
- FAM, MAG continue partnership for another three years (The Vibes, 1 July 2023)
- FAM announces Puma as official apparel partner of Harimau Malaya (Malay Mail, 1 Jan 2025)
- FAM and Puma sign four-year partnership (ASEAN Football)
- New Harimau Malaya jersey on sale ahead of FIFA ASEAN Cup (Bernama, 20 Sept 2026)
- Purported new Harimau Malaya home jersey emerges online (NST, 31 May 2026)
- FAM expects to sign MoUs with two new sponsors (Bernama, 20 Oct 2026)
- Harimau Malaya to play China and Yemen in November friendlies (Bernama, 13 Oct 2026)
- Harimau Malaya friendlies against China in Guangzhou (Bernama, 6 Oct 2026)
- Vietnam end Malaysia's ASEAN Cup run (Bernama, 19 Aug 2026)
- Tierney strike seals FIFA ASEAN Cup third place (Malay Mail, 5 Oct 2026)
- Malaysia misses ASEAN final despite six-goal Singapore rout (Business Today, 2 Oct 2026)
- Harimau Malaya to play for pride in final qualifier against Vietnam (The Sun, 29 Mar 2026)
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