Bukit Jalil is unavailable, Malaysia prepares to host Vietnam in Cheras

The Malaysian team will once again choose the KLFA Stadium in Cheras as their home ground for the first leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup semi-finals. This means the Bukit Jalil National Stadium is still unavailable due to the ongoing renovation of the running track in preparation for the 2027 SEA Games.

The Malaysian team confirmed the venue through its social media channels. "We're in the semi-finals. The first leg is at home, then we will play away," the official social media accounts of the Malaysian team posted yesterday, August 9.

Malaysia will host reigning champions Vietnam in the first leg of the semi-finals on August 16, before traveling for the second leg on August 19.

Previously, the Malaysian Stadium Corporation (MSC) confirmed to Timesport that the Bukit Jalil stadium would be closed from June to September for the running track construction, thus it cannot be used for the regional tournament.

Work on replacing the running track has now begun, with some parts of the old surface being dismantled as Malaysia continues its preparations to host the SEA Games next year.

Over 12,000 spectators were present at the stadium to watch the 1-0 victory over the Philippines on Saturday. This result helped Malaysia qualify for the semi-finals after finishing second in Group B with 9 points.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) did not respond to questions from Timesport regarding further comments about the venue.

The Vietnamese team is the obstacle preventing Malaysia from reaching the final, with the first leg of the semi-finals held at Malaysia's home ground on August 16.

Coach Tan Cheng Hoe admitted that Malaysia has a poor head-to-head record against this regional opponent, but urged the players to believe they can create a surprise.

"Facing the Vietnamese team has almost become a familiar thing in terms of the difficulty for us to win," he said.

"But we must believe in ourselves. Hopefully the fans will come to the stadium in large numbers again because their support can give extra motivation to the players."