By Aida Aziz
IPOH: The Cahya Mata Cup 2026 is not only aimed at strengthening Perak’s football ecosystem through player development, but also seeks to nurture team managers, referees and local organisers.
The Cahya Mata Cup is a community-based amateur football tournament established to provide a quality platform for young players and emerging talents.
The competition is designed not only to encourage competition, but also to allow participants to grow and showcase their abilities.
The official draw ceremony for the Perak-level Cahya Mata Cup 2026 was recently held at M Roof Hotel here, bringing together representatives from all 32 participating teams.
Also present at the event were former Perak and Malaysia football legend Datuk M. Karathu, as well as Activ8 Sports Arena Sdn Bhd director Fabian Narcis.
Open to players aged between 16 and 35, the tournament provides young footballers with the opportunity to test themselves alongside more experienced senior players in a structured amateur competition environment.
It also creates opportunities for players who have yet to receive adequate exposure to shine on a competitive stage.
The tournament adopts a knockout format, with all 32 teams competing in the opening round.
The 16 winning teams will advance to the Main Championship, where they will continue their challenge for the RM20,000 prize money and an opportunity to qualify for the Cahya Mata Cup 2026 Grand Finals.
The remaining 16 teams will compete in the Challenge Cup, a separate knockout competition that offers them another opportunity to vie for silverware. The Challenge Cup champions will take home RM2,000 in prize money.
The community development initiative also extends to referee development, with several officials who recently completed referee academy training set to be given the opportunity to officiate competitive matches.
Its long-term objective is to revive the vibrancy of community football while creating a more consistent pathway for Perak’s amateur talents to develop and progress.
