Liga Malaysia (English:Malaysian League) was an amateurfootball league inMalaysia that operated from 1982 until 1988. The league was managed by theFootball Association of Malaysia. The Malaysian League was established in 1982 after the introduction of a league trophy for the winner of the league stage qualification round for theMalaysia Cup (Malay:Piala Malaysia), with the format first introduced in 1979 where the top eight teams qualified from the league to compete in the knockout stages of the Malaysia Cup.^[1][2][3]

During its inaugural season in 1982, 16 teams participated in a single-tier league.^[2] All 13 state football teams,Kuala Lumpur (known as Federal Territory FA at that time), theArmed Forces, and arepresentative team from Brunei competed in the league. In 1985,Singapore rejoined theMalaysian football league system and thus competed in the Malaysian League andMalaysia Cup after a temporary spell away, which brought the number of teams up to 17.^[4][5] The league did not operate on a system ofpromotion and relegation.

The league was the nation's top-tier league until it was succeeded by the formation ofLiga Semi-Pro in1989 which was also managed by the Football Association of Malaysia.

The concept of an annual competition between thestates in Malaysia goes back with the advent of theMalaya Cup in 1921.^[6] In 1967, theMalaya Cup was renamed as theMalaysia Cup, while state leagues were being run by their respective statefootball associations that covered wider geographical areas. In 1979, the FAM introduced a new format for the Malaysia Cup with the introduction of a league stage qualification round for the tournament.^[7] The football league competition involved the representative sides of the state football associations, thearmed forces and representative sides fromBrunei andSingapore.^[8][9]

It was not until 1982 that a league trophy was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions.^[1][2] Over the years, the league competition gained an important stature in its own right. From 1982 until 1988 the league held an amateur status and continued its purpose as a qualifying round for the Malaysia Cup. It wasn't until 1989 that the league was succeeded by the formation of theLiga Semi-Pro.^{[10][11][12][13][14][15]}

In its inaugural season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[2]

In its second season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[10]

In its third season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[11]

In its fourth season, the league consisted of teams as below with the inclusion of Singapore.^[5] Although, Malacca were suspended from the league season.

In its fifth season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[12]

In its sixth season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[13]

In its last season, the league consisted of teams as below.^[14]

Below are the list of Malaysian League champions from 1982 to 1988.^[1]

• Malaysian League
• Liga Semi-Pro
• Liga Perdana (1994–97)

• Football leagues in Malaysia
• Sports leagues established in 1982
• 1982 establishments in Malaysia
• 1988 disestablishments in Malaysia

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