Football arrived in Malaysia, (Malaya at that time) with the British.
The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading sport.
Towards the end of the 19th century, football was one of the central pillars of most sports clubs in Malaya.
But it was not structured.
Even when the Selangor Amateur Football League took shape in 1905 – which ensured proper administration and organisation – the competition was confined only to clubs in the Kuala Lumpur.

In January 1921, the British Royal Navy battleship HMS Malaya called at Port Swettenham (now Port Klang), Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Port Dickson.
During its stay, the crew competed in friendly matches in football, rugby, hockey, sailing and golf against local clubs.

Three months later, the Chief Secretary of the Federated Malay States government received a letter from Captain H. T. Buller of the H. M. S. Malaya, which offered two cups to be competed for in football and rugby as tokens of their gratitude for the reception they received in Malaya.
The cup for football were then known as the Malaya Cup The offer was accepted and various club representatives met to organise the tournament.
A Malaya Cup committee was set up and it was decided to run the football competition in northern and southern sections.
The first tournament were entrusted to be run  by the Selangor Club.
The first ever Malaya Cup match was played on 20 August 1921, with Selangor defeating Penang 5–1 in front of an estimated crowd of 5,000 in Kuala Lumpur.
The inaugural tournament were played by six teams and won by Singapore.
During 1923, a newspaper described it as “by far the greatest sporting event of the year (in Malaya)”.

Football began to spread rapidly throughout the region following the establishment of the cup although the composition of the teams at the time were mainly based on ethnic background.
In British Borneo, football also become the most popular choice of sports in Malay schools.

In 1933, Association football of Malaysia was founded as Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) which managed the local football scene at that time.
By 1954, FAM joins FIFA as a member in AFC.

Malaysia FAM Cup was established in 1952 as a secondary knockout competition to the more prestigious Malaya Cup, the competition were held between the state teams including Singapore, Police, Army, and Prisons Department of Malaysia in its early days.

In 1959, the Malaya Cup departed from the traditional one round tournament to a two-round home and away format in three zones, East, South and North.
A new trophy was inaugurated in 1967, and since then the competition has been known as the Piala Malaysia.

Starting in 1974, the state teams were barred from entering the FAM Cup competition and only the club sides could enter.

This football league competition involving the representative sides of the state football associations was first held in Malaysia in 1979.
When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Piala Malaysia.
A one-round league competition was introduced in Malaysia in 1979.
The top four teams at the end of the league will face off in two semi-finals before the winners made it to the finals.
In 1981, the quarter-finals stage were introduced.
When the league began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the Piala Malaysia.
However, it was not until 1982 that a League Cup was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions which then officially started the era of nationwide level amateur football league in Malaysia.
Since then, the Piala Malaysia has been held after the conclusion of the league each year, with only the best-performing teams in the league qualifying for the Piala Malaysia.

Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right.
From 1982 until 1988 the league is an amateur status continue its purpose as qualifying round for Piala Malaysia and only in 1989 it is changes to a new format as Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League (Liga S
Football arrived in Malaysia, (Malaya at that time) with the British. The locals soon picked up the game, and before long it was the country's leading sport. Towards the end of the 19th century, football was one of the central pillars of most sports clubs in Malaya. But it was not structured. Even when the Selangor Amateur Football League took shape in 1905 – which ensured proper administration and organisation – the competition was confined only to clubs in the Kuala Lumpur.
In January 1921, the British Royal Navy battleship HMS Malaya called at Port Swettenham (now Port Klang), Singapore, Malacca, Penang and Port Dickson. During its stay, the crew competed in friendly matches in football, rugby, hockey, sailing and golf against local clubs.
Three months later, the Chief Secretary of the Federated Malay States government received a letter from Captain H. T. Buller of the H. M. S. Malaya, which offered two cups to be competed for in football and rugby as tokens of their gratitude for the reception they received in Malaya. The cup for football were then known as the Malaya Cup The offer was accepted and various club representatives met to organise the tournament. A Malaya Cup committee was set up and it was decided to run the football competition in northern and southern sections. The first tournament were entrusted to be run  by the Selangor Club. The first ever Malaya Cup match was played on 20 August 1921, with Selangor defeating Penang 5–1 in front of an estimated crowd of 5,000 in Kuala Lumpur. The inaugural tournament were played by six teams and won by Singapore. During 1923, a newspaper described it as “by far the greatest sporting event of the year (in Malaya)”.
Football began to spread rapidly throughout the region following the establishment of the cup although the composition of the teams at the time were mainly based on ethnic background. In British Borneo, football also become the most popular choice of sports in Malay schools.
In 1933, Association football of Malaysia was founded as Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) which managed the local football scene at that time. By 1954, FAM joins FIFA as a member in AFC.
Malaysia FAM Cup was established in 1952 as a secondary knockout competition to the more prestigious Malaya Cup, the competition were held between the state teams including Singapore, Police, Army, and Prisons Department of Malaysia in its early days.
In 1959, the Malaya Cup departed from the traditional one round tournament to a two-round home and away format in three zones, East, South and North. A new trophy was inaugurated in 1967, and since then the competition has been known as the Piala Malaysia.
Starting in 1974, the state teams were barred from entering the FAM Cup competition and only the club sides could enter.
This football league competition involving the representative sides of the state football associations was first held in Malaysia in 1979. When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Piala Malaysia. A one-round league competition was introduced in Malaysia in 1979. The top four teams at the end of the league will face off in two semi-finals before the winners made it to the finals. In 1981, the quarter-finals stage were introduced. When the league began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the Piala Malaysia. However, it was not until 1982 that a League Cup was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions which then officially started the era of nationwide level amateur football league in Malaysia. Since then, the Piala Malaysia has been held after the conclusion of the league each year, with only the best-performing teams in the league qualifying for the Piala Malaysia.
Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right. From 1982 until 1988 the league is an amateur status continue its purpose as qualifying round for Piala Malaysia and only in 1989 it is changes to a new format as Malaysian Semi-Pro Football League (Liga S
Football in Malaysia