PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has formed a cooperation with world governing body, FIFA and England FA to help raise the standard of local football, especially women football.
FAM Secretary General Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad said the cooperation was to enhance development, promotion and marketing of women football, so that the sport can become popular.
"We have a problem in developing women football due to lack of finance and cultural hindrance," he told reporters at Wisma FAM here today.
Azzuddin added that discussions were held with a number of ministries in the month of May, to play a more supportive and prominent role in the development of women football in the country.
Women football in the country is hampered by a lack of players, is less organised and do not have a league and the standard of the country''s women football is far off the mark when compared with Myanmar or Thailand, he said.
Azzuddin earlier held a meeting with FIFA's development officer for women's football, Michele Cox and England FA's women's football committee member Kelly Simmons.
"Michele and Kelly will conduct a seminar today for state officials involved in football, National Sports Council representatives and those involved in the sport, to brief them of the necessary steps to be taken," he said.
The England women's team, ranked ninth in the FIFA ranking list, are a power in world football and according to Kelly, Malaysia would need seven to eight years to succeed.
-- BERNAMA