By Amanda L
KUCHING, Feb 15: Stricter player eligibility requirements may be introduced for the Piala Premier Sarawak 2026 season as organisers aim to raise competition standards, with the next league expected to be held in July or August.
Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, president of Kuching City FC and Chief Political Secretary to the Premier of Sarawak, said the move follows the conclusion of the inaugural Piala Premier Sarawak, where conditions were relaxed to encourage participation and build momentum for the tournament.
“A post-mortem will be conducted to identify areas for improvement and refine the criteria for future seasons. During the first season, we loosened some player eligibility requirements to enliven the league.
“For this year, we may introduce certain conditions that divisional FAs (football associations) must follow,” he told reporters after the match at Stadium Negeri Sarawak, today.
The gradual tightening of rules is intended to improve overall league quality and position the competition as a platform for talent identification and potential scouting by external teams.
Fazzrudin added that divisional football associations should start preparations early by identifying new players and strengthening squad depth.
He congratulated Bintulu FA on their victory in the final and encouraged Samarahan FA to return stronger next season. — DayakDaily
