KUCHING: Kuching City FC will have two of their own wearing national colours this month, with Haziq Nadzli and Nazmi Faiz Mansor earning places in Harimau Malaya’s 23-man squad for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Goalkeeper Haziq and midfielder Nazmi were named by interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe for Malaysia’s campaign in Jakarta and Bandung from Sept 25 to Oct 5, giving Kuching City a double presence on the regional stage.
For Haziq, the call-up puts him in a three-way goalkeeping group alongside Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed and Negeri Sembilan’s Azri Ghani.
Nazmi, meanwhile, adds experience to a midfield featuring Stuart Wilkin, Nathaniel Shio Hong Wan, Manuel Hidalgo, Nooa Laine and Sergio Aguero.
The national squad will assemble for centralised training on Monday before flying to Jakarta on Sept 22.
Malaysia, ranked 136th in the world, have been drawn into Group A with hosts Indonesia, Singapore and Bangladesh.
Their campaign begins against Bangladesh at Gelora Bung Karno on Sept 25 before a heavyweight meeting with Indonesia at the same venue three days later.
Harimau Malaya then head to Bandung to face Singapore at Stadium Si Jalak Harupat on Oct 1.
There is little margin for error.
Only the group winners advance to the Oct 5 final at Gelora Bung Karno, while the runners-up will contest the third-place playoff earlier that day.
