Sarawak Premier League 2025 semi-finals set for thrilling first leg this weekend

KUCHING (Jan 22): The inaugural Sarawak Premier League 2025 is set to reach a thrilling juncture as the football competition moves into the semi-final first-leg stage this Saturday, with four of the state’s strongest divisional teams still in contention for the maiden title.

Two high-stakes encounters will kick off simultaneously at 3.30pm in Kuching and Kota Samarahan, promising an afternoon of intense football action this weekend.

At Stadium Samarahan, all eyes will be on the much-anticipated “Southern Derby” between Samarahan FA and tournament favourites Serian FA.

Serian FA is heading into the tie as the dominant force, having secured the South Zone title with an almost flawless campaign, and the visitors will once again look to prolific striker Paul Sambang, who has been in devastating form this season with 22 goals to his name.

Samarahan FA, however, have shown they are not to be underestimated in the knockout stages in which despite finishing third in their group, they produced an emphatic 5-1 aggregate win over Miri FA in the quarter-finals.

Veteran winger Ashri Chuchu is expected to play a key leadership role, while head coach Ideris Untong will be banking on the attacking threat of Muhd Razif Razali, Ahmad Mubin Hamlet and Awang Kamaruddin to make the most of home advantage ahead of the return leg.

Meanwhile, at Stadium Sarawak in Petra Jaya, Kuching FA will host North Zone champions Bintulu FA in what is expected to be a tightly contested affair.

Under head coach Nizam Mahmud, Kuching FA boast the most disciplined defence in the league, having conceded just five goals during the regular season.

Their defensive resilience will be put to the test against a confident Bintulu FA side that advanced to the semi-finals with a commanding 7-1 aggregate victory over PDRM FA.

Bintulu’s main attacking threat comes from Mohd Haisal Yusuf, who has scored eight goals so far in the competition while for Kuching FA, much will depend on playmaker Hamirul Haidi’s ability to control the midfield and disrupt Bintulu’s physical approach.

Both matches form the first half of a two-legged semi-final, with the second-leg fixtures scheduled for Jan 31 and fans are advised to arrive early, as ticket counters at both venues are expected to open at 1pm.

The Sarawak Premier League is the top-tier amateur football league in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia.

Managed by the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS), it was revived in late 2025 as a key initiative to develop grassroots talent and reactivate competitive football at the divisional level.

The competition is currently in its 2025–26 inaugural season.