KUCHING: Sarawak is wasting no time in building a stronger men’s futsal squad for Malaysia Games (SUKMA) 2026.
Head Coach Mohd Faizal Zamri announced that the December-start trials will uncover fresh talent for the state’s challenge.
Following this, Mohd Faizal said the dates have not been finalised yet, but the selection will be held during the school holidays in December.
“We will be conducting a selection session to prepare a longlist of players, which will consist of 30 individuals.
“It will likely be carried out during the upcoming school holidays,” Mohd Faizal told Sarawak Tribune recently.
He admitted that there are still players who represented Sarawak at the previous 2024 Malaysia Games (SUKMA). However, it is necessary to find new players to strengthen the existing pool.
He said the early approach in forming the squad for the upcoming games needs to be implemented as soon as possible to help his team plan the next phases more efficiently.
“Once we have a shadow squad, it becomes easier for us to draw up a more organised training programme.
“As done previously, players will be exposed to training outside Sarawak—whether in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, or even abroad such as in Thailand,” he explained.
He further acknowledged that this approach is aimed at improving player performance and giving them the opportunity to experience more competitive action.
“The player selection sessions will be held across the other divisions as well,” he added.
For the record, the men’s futsal squad won a silver medal at the 2024 SUKMA, which was held in Sarawak.
