KUALA LUMPUR – There will be fewer foreign teams participating in this year’s edition of the Mirnawan Cup due to financial constraints, with only eight teams confirmed compared to 10 last year.
The international youth hockey tournament is scheduled to take place at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil from November 2 to 9.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said the decision was made after assessing the organisation’s current financial limitations.
“Many foreign teams have expressed interest in joining, but we have to be realistic about our financial capacity. Therefore, we selected teams that can provide strong competition and meaningful exposure for our young national players,” he told Scoop when contacted today.
Subahan, however, stressed that the decline in foreign participation will not affect the tournament’s prestige or excitement as it enters its fourth edition since being introduced in 2022.
“There’s no point in hosting a tournament merely to fill the calendar. The main objective is to give players exposure and create a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia’s junior talent,” he said.
In the boys’ under-18 category, participating teams include Malaysia Speedy, Malaysia Tiger, Japan, South Africa, and two Australian clubs — Queensland and Croc One Active.
Meanwhile, in the girls’ under-18 competition, Malaysia Tigress will line up alongside Japan, South Africa, and the same two Australian teams, Queensland and Croc One Active.
Organised under the National Hockey Development Programme (NHDP) and overseen by the National Sports Council (NSC) in collaboration with MHC, the Mirnawan Cup serves as a key platform to evaluate emerging talents and strengthen Malaysia’s sporting ties with other nations.
All teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two advancing to the final. – October 28, 2025