Malaysia targets AFF Women's Championship 2026 title at home

Malaysia's women's football team is setting its sights on winning the 2026 AFF Women's Championship, which kicks off in Kuala Lumpur. Head coach Joel Cornelli views this tournament as the best chance to elevate the profile of women's football in the country.

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We are playing at home, in Malaysia. Perhaps in another 10 or 15 years, we will have the chance to host again.

Cornelli, a Brazilian coach, highlighted that playing on home soil provides significant motivation for his squad. He believes a victory in the championship could have a substantial impact on the development of women's football in Malaysia. The team's initial objective is to advance to at least the semifinals before aiming for the championship title.

"We are playing at home, in Malaysia. Perhaps in another 10 or 15 years, we will have the chance to host again," Cornelli stated. "This is the best opportunity to increase attention on women's football, talk about the women's league, and at the same time increase support and budget for the team."

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This is the best opportunity to increase attention on women's football, talk about the women's league, and at the same time increase support and budget for the team.

He added that strong performance could inspire more young players to take up the sport. "Our goal is to qualify for the semifinals, then enjoy this opportunity by showing the results of our hard work in improving the national team's performance," he said.

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If we perform well, we can become an inspiration to more young players to start playing football.

Cornelli also addressed team leadership, explaining he has appointed three experienced players, Steffi Sarge Kaur, Ainsyah Murad, and Lyana Soberi, as part of the captaincy group. However, he emphasized that all players must embrace leadership roles on the field. "I don't want just one captain to carry this big responsibility. All players need to be responsible," he noted. "I believe in Steffi, Ainsyah, and Lyana, but I also want new players and young players to have the confidence that they can also lead the team. That is very important for their development."

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Our goal is to qualify for the semifinals, then enjoy this opportunity by showing the results of our hard work in improving the national team's performance.