Half-empty stadium looms for Malaysia Cup final
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KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian soccer's showpiece event is facing an embarrassing sea of empty seats as ticket sales for the April 26 Malaysia Cup final limp toward the halfway mark of the 85,000-capacity National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
With less than 10 days until holders Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) face Sri Pahang, fewer than 30,000 tickets have been sold for a fixture that traditionally packs the house to the rafters.
JDT are chasing a third consecutive treble — having already clinched the Super League and FA Cup — while underdogs Sri Pahang are eyeing their first domestic trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2018.
JDT Supporters' Club deputy president Fadzli Sapie revealed that only around 15,000 tickets had been snapped up by Johor fans.
"As of now, we have booked 600 tickets and reserved 15 buses. It seems fans aren't too keen to travel to Bukit Jalil, possibly because we're playing Sri Pahang.
"If the opponents were (arch-rivals) Selangor, I'm sure the tickets would sell like hot cakes. This isn't meant to belittle Sri Pahang."
Sri Pahang's ticket sales have been equally uninspiring, with 8,633 of their allocated 33,600 tickets sold, the New Straits Times quoted club CEO Datuk Suffian Awang as saying.
"With about two weeks left until the final, the club hope Sri Pahang fans will come together and support their beloved team," Suffian told the Malaysian newspaper.
"It's best not to wait until the last minute to buy tickets. Sri Pahang need their 12th player — the supporters — to help motivate the players." REUTERS
