Malaysia M4 League

Football arrived in Malaysia (Malaya at that time) with the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading sport. Towards the end of the 19th century, football was one of the central pillars of most sports clubs in Malaya. However, it was not structured. Even when the Selangor Amateur Football League took shape in 1905 – which ensured proper administration and organisation – the competition was confined only to clubs in Kuala Lumpur.

The earliest recorded state football league took place in Penang, where YMCA won the league in 1909.[6] The other earliest recorded winners for state football leagues were Johor in 1922 (P.W.D.A.A.), Malacca in 1929 (Malacca Chinese FA), Negeri Sembilan in 1929 (Nilai Club), Perak in 1932 (Perak Chinese RC) and Selangor in 1935 (Rangers).[6] Alongside the leagues, cup competitions also take place.[6]

By 1933 the football of Malaysia was founded as Football Association of Malaya (FAM), which managed the local football scene at that time.[7] By 1954, FAM joined FIFA as a member in the AFC.

Malaysia consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea, with eleven states and two federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) in Peninsular Malaysia, and two states and one federal territory (Labuan) in East Malaysia (Borneo). Each of the states has its own set of football league, and some may have multiple divisions with promotion and relegation rules among them.[8] All leagues in all states run in parallel.

The leagues has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between league divisions at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the hypothetical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system. The exact number of clubs varies from year to year as clubs join and leave leagues or fold altogether, but an estimated average of 10 clubs per division implies that hundreds of teams are members of a league in the Malaysian men's football league system.

Although the state leagues are at the top in the state level hierarchy in Malaysian football competition, they are 8 state football association not officially directly under the national leagues competition as the club which won the top level of state leagues don't be promoted to the next level.

For 2021 season, the AFL has announced the format changes for the M3 and M4 League in preparation for the transition of the amateur team to semi-professional by 2021.

A state level competition were competed in 13 different states and three federal territories in Malaysia.[9][6][10][11][12][13][14] While some states have an active league with a multiple divisions, some others might be in dormant or might only have a short duration cup competition in place.[10] The reason for a lack of proper league system in some states and federal territories were because lack of proper management, marketing and funding from the football association in charged.

A district level competition were competed among clubs in the district located in each of states in Malaysia.[13][15][16] It is runs by the district football association. Only certain district currently has known and active league or cup competition in place.