Bernama reported AFC secretary-general Windsor John as saying it was not against the idea as long as the national men’s football team remains under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Windsor was commenting on a proposal by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim to allow the national team to operate separately. He had also outlined a potential new organisational structure.

Calling the idea a “project”, Windsor said its implementation must be managed by FAM and details such as management, decision-making and fund allocation had to be clear.

“It must be managed by FAM because they will be dealing with the AFC, the International Football Federation (Fifa), or any other external bodies, and not other companies or management,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

“The FAM secretary-general’s signature is what counts, not anyone else’s, as this is standard practice in terms of administration, structure and governance.”

He said this to reporters after launching the 2025 AFC Medical Conference, which was also attended by youth and sports secretary-general K Nagulendran here today.

Windsor noted that a similar approach was used during Malaysia’s hosting of the 1997 Fifa World Youth Championship, where an independent body managed the national youth team under the supervision of FAM.

He said the squad was still supervised by the late Elyas Omar, the former Kuala Lumpur mayor and president of the Kuala Lumpur Football Association, and the body was authorised to select coaches for the youth team.