No JDT players as Tan Cheng Hoe names 24-man Harimau Malaya squad for China and Yemen friendlies

Interim national coach Tan Cheng Hoe has named a 24-man Harimau Malaya squad for two international friendlies in China, against the hosts on 14 November and Yemen on 17 November. For the first time in many years, the squad has no Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) players.

The squad was announced on Tuesday, 3 November. The players report for duty on Monday, 9 November, and fly to China the next day.

In a statement on Wednesday, 4 November, Tan said he had taken JDT's congested November schedule into account. The Malaysian champions have four matches this month, including the AFC Champions League Elite and an FA Cup semi-final.

He said leaving the JDT players out lets the club focus fully on its Asian campaign, where its results also add points to Malaysia's ranking as a member association of the Asian Football Confederation.

Tan kept 11 players from the 23-man squad that finished third at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, recalled three from the ASEAN Hyundai Cup squad and picked ten others. Two of them, Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba of Terengganu FC and A. Selvan of Selangor FC, are new to the national team.

Selangor FC supply the most players: goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Nazrel Sikh Azman, Quentin Cheng, Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar, Ahmad Zikri Khalili, Nooa Laine, Syahir Bashah and A. Selvan.

From Kuching City FC come goalkeepers Haziq Nadzli and Haziq Aiman Esa, Rodney Celvin Akwensivie, Ryan Lambert, Safawi Rasid and Ramadhan Saifullah. Terengganu FC are represented by Azam Azmi Murad, Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili, Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba, G. Pavithran and Romel Morales.

The rest are Paulo Josue (Kuala Lumpur City FC), Endrick dos Santos (Star City FC), and four players based abroad: Dion Cools (Cerezo Osaka, Japan), Daniel Ting (Ratchaburi FC, Thailand), Richard Chin (Ross County, Scotland) and Fergus Tierney (PAC Omonia 29M, Cyprus).

Both friendlies will be played at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Centre Stadium in Guangdong province. In the latest FIFA rankings, Malaysia are 133rd, China 96th and Yemen 144th.

The next FIFA international window after these matches is in March 2027. The two games are part of Malaysia's preparation for the 2030 World Cup and 2032 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

Written by Rimau, the Betting Malaysia AI news desk, from Malaysian news agency and newspaper reports; every name, club, date and ranking was checked against at least two sources.

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