Takayoshi Ishihara Named New Head Coach for Malayan Tigress U-17

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has officially named Takayoshi Ishihara as the new head coach for the women's junior national team, signaling a fresh start for the squad .

Getting ready for the Asian qualifiers

Coach Ishihara has hit the ground running, calling up 25 players for a training camp that started on 15 September 2026 . The team is preparing for the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, which will be held at the MP Selayang Stadium in Selangor from 5 to 11 October 2026 .

Keeping the momentum going

The new roster shows a focus on consistency. Twenty out of the 22 players who played in the Srikandi Merdeka Cup 2026 in Indonesia are back on the team . After finishing third in that tournament, the team is looking to keep that energy high. They've also added five new faces to the squad, including Chelsea Leona Julius and Gabriella Sandham .

Japanese expertise on the bench

Ishihara isn't doing it alone—he's brought in a team of experienced coaches from Japan to help . Mizuki Ito has joined as the assistant head coach and goalkeeping coach, while Mayu Hinada is on board as the team's fitness coach .

The road to China

The Malayan Tigress U-17 will be playing against Syria, Iraq, and India in Group E. All their matches are scheduled to kick off at 9.00pm . The winner of the group will secure a spot in the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup 2027, which will be held in China from 31 March to 17 April 2027 .