KUCHING: The group draw for the Sarawak leg of Piala Cahya Mata 2026 has been completed, paving the way for state qualifiers as the football tournament attracted 32 teams from Sarawak and 256 teams nationwide across eight states and Kuala Lumpur.
According to a statement today, the draw marks the next milestone for the tournament organised by Cahya Mata, which is set to become Malaysia’s largest amateur community football tournament.
Group draws for Negeri Sembilan and Sarawak have now been completed, with the remaining states to follow on July 5, involving approximately 6,400 players nationwide.
Each state champion will take home RM20,000 in prize money.
The first match will kick off in Seremban on July 5, followed by a concurrent start in Sarawak, Sabah, Melaka, Perak, Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Pahang and Kelantan on July 18.
To boost competition and inclusivity, the tournament has introduced the Challenger’s Cup at state level, giving teams defeated in their opening match a second chance through a secondary bracket instead of facing immediate elimination.
Under this format, the Challenger’s Cup champion will receive RM2,000, the first runner-up RM1,000, and joint third-place finishers RM500 each.
The tournament will conclude in November when state champions converge at the Grand Finals in Kuching to compete for a championship prize of RM100,000.
Match fixtures, venues and standings are available at the tournament’s official site, cahyamata.sukandigital.com.
