KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has been nominated to contest for the president's post of the Asean Football Federation (AFF).
Sultan Abdullah, 60, who is also a member of the Fifa council, was nominated by the FA of Malaysia and seconded by the Myanmar FA.
He, however, is expected to be challenged by Football Federation of Cambodia president General Sao Sokha, who has also been nominated for the presidency.
Sultan Abdullah's proclamation as the sixth sultan of Pahang will be held at Istana Abu Bakar in Pekan today. Sultan Abdullah's father, Sultan Ahmad Shah, who assumed the AFF top post in 2007, will not seek re-election.
“Sultan Abdullah has been nominated as a candidate to replace his father, Sultan Ahmad,” said a source yesterday.
“FAM nominated Sultan Abdullah. However, we do not know how things will develop as Sultan Abdullah could be the next Agong.”
Sultan Abdullah is an experienced football administrator, having also served as president of FAM between 2014-17.
The Pahang Sultan is also an active hockey official, and he served as president of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation between 2008-15. He is currently the president of the Asian Hockey Federation.
Sultan Abdullah is seen as the most suitable candidate to helm the AFF and take Asean football to the next level.
Nominations for all AFF elected posts will close tomorrow. The AFF elections will be held Cambodia in March.