Pahang v Selangor: A Rivalry Etched in Time

Nine league meetings, four Selangor wins, three for Pahang Rangers and two draws: the record between the MPFL 2026 finalists is close enough to be argued either way going into the first leg in Kuantan on Saturday. The recent numbers point one way, though, and the second leg in Shah Alam on 31 October follows a week later.

Pahang held the early edge. They won 4-2 at home in 2019 and drew the other meeting that season 3-3, and their only game in 2022 ended level, so Selangor went without a win in the first three meetings. Felipe De Souza's hat-trick in an 8-4 win at the Stadium Tertutup SUKPA in February 2024, in front of the season's biggest crowd of 2,697, made it four meetings without a Selangor victory. The first came four months later, 6-5 in Shah Alam after Selangor led 6-3 at the break.

The series has stayed tight. Pahang won 6-5 in Kuantan in May 2025, with De Souza among the scorers, and Selangor took the return 7-2. Three of the nine ended level or by a single goal. Since then, Selangor have won the last three, 7-2, 5-3 and 5-2, scoring 17 goals to Pahang's seven, and the 5-3 win in June handed Pahang their first defeat of this season. Across all nine, Selangor have scored 39 goals to Pahang's 34.

The venue has mattered. Until that win in June, every decided meeting had gone to the home side, so Selangor's victory at SUKPA made them the first visitors to win the fixture and gives the first leg an added edge.

Several of the names are the same. Syahir Iqbal scored twice and was named MVP in June, and Marlon scored a hat-trick, two of them penalties, in the July meeting. De Souza has scored against Selangor in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Selangor captain Mohd Khairul, a former Pahang player, also scored against his old club in July.

Both finalists arrive in form. Edgar Baldasso's side finished first with 16 wins from 16 and 48 points, then beat Terengganu 6-2 and 6-1 in the semi-final to make it 18 wins from 18, Marlon scoring four in the first leg and six different players scoring in the second. Eloy Alonso's side finished third on 37 points and have won all three of their play-off matches, beating ATM 9-2 and then JDT 4-2 and 4-3 after extra time, with Rodrigo Da Silva named MVP in both legs against JDT. The second leg was the closer of the two: JDT led 3-2 at the end of normal time, and Rodrigo and De Souza scored in the 48th and 49th minutes to win it.

The final follows the same rule as the semi-finals: a side must win both legs to take the title outright, and if the legs are split the tie goes straight to extra time and penalties in the second leg.

The league history gives Selangor the momentum. The play-offs have shown Pahang can win when it is hardest.