Kuching City F.C.
Malaysian football club in Kuching, Sarawak
Football club
Kuching City
Full nameKuching City Football Club
NicknameIl Gatto (The Cats)
Short nameKCFC, KUC
Founded2015; 11 years ago (2015), as Kuching FA
2021; 5 years ago (2021), as Kuching City
GroundSarawak Stadium
Sarawak State Stadium
Capacity40,000
26,000
Co-ownerFazzrudin Abdul Rahman
Kamaludin Akil
CEOIswandi Ali Hassan[1]
Head coachAidil Sharin Sahak
LeagueMalaysia Super League
2024–25Malaysia Super League, 4th of 13
Websitekuchingcityfc.com
Current season

Kuching City Football Club, simply known as Kuching City, is a professional football club based in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia that currently plays in the Malaysia Super League. It was the youngest club to join the highest level of the Malaysian football league system, having been founded since 2015.[2] It is the third professional football club based in the state of Sarawak, after former state football club Sarawak FA and another defunct club Sarawak United.

History

In 2015, with the commencement of the People's Football League introduced by the Football Association of Malaysia, the purpose of the league was to transform lower leagues in Malaysia and promote amateur football in all districts and states across Malaysia.[3][4] Consequently, Kuching F.A. was founded alongside it to represent the district of Kuching in Sarawak.

FAM Cup

In the 2015–16 Liga Bolasepak Rakyat, Kuching won the inaugural edition[5] after beating Padang Besar 3–1 at the Selayang Stadium. With the championship, Kuching got an automatic promotion into the 2017 Piala FAM.

In their first season in FAM League, Kuching achieved 4th place in Group B, qualifying the team for the play-offs. They were knocked out in the quarter-final stage by UKM F.C., which later gained promotion to 2018 Malaysia Premier League as finalist of the play-offs. Kuching's second season in the FAM League saw them in the 4th place in Group A, the same as previous season. Unfortunately, changes in the play-off qualifying saw them miss out on the knock-out stage as only top two teams of each group chosen. Kuching were registered to play in the 2019 Malaysia FAM Cup, but were also invited by FAM to play in the 2019 Malaysia Premier League, as a number of teams pull out from the league.[6]

After announcing their promotion to the 2020 Malaysia Premier League, Kuching changed their kit to a new one to kick start their new journey, the colours are green with white stripes and "City of Unity" is written in the middle of the kit. The following season, they added ''City'' to back of Kuching.

Kuching City players playing a friendly match against Bruneian club DPMM on 4 January 2025.

First cup final

Kuching City reach promotion to 2023 Malaysia Super League for the first time in history after the MFL License have been approved for the 2023 season. On 2 August 2023, former Singaporean legend, Aidil Sharin Sahak was announced as the new head coach of the club signing Namibia captain, Petrus Shitembi and Tajikistani midfielder Nuriddin Davronov. Aidil Sharin guided the club to a great run in the 2023 MFL Challenge Cup winning 4–0 on aggregate against his former club, Kedah Darul Aman in the quarter-finals, a 3–1 on aggregate against Kelantan United in the semi-finals which saw the club first ever cup final in their history.

Crest and colours

Kuching's crest has a yellow shield and the flag of Sarawak where the club originated from, and a green-white stripped tiger. "City of Unity" is written in the middle of the crest.

Crest

  • 2019–2021 crest
    2019–2021 crest

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Season Kit manufacturer[7] Shirt sponsor
2017 Starsport Kuching City of Unity
2018 LSC & Kuching City of Unity
2021 Serba Dinamik, LSC & Yakult
2022 Kuching City of Unity, LSC, Yakult & Fitogether
2023 Kuching City of Unity & LSC
2024/ 2025 Press Metal, LSC & Kuching City of Unity
2025/ 2026

Players

First-team squad

As of 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  MAS Syafie Mursalim
2 DF  MAS Jimmy Raymond[8]
3 DF  MAS Rodney Celvin[9]
5 DF  PHI Scott Woods[10]
6 DF  MAS Arif Fadzilah
7 FW  MAS Ramadhan Saifullah[11]
8 FW  MAS Hazwan Bakri[12]
10 MF  NAM Petrus Shitembi[13]
11 FW  MAS Shamie Iszuan[14]
14 FW  MAS Amir Amri[15]
17 FW  MAS Danial Asri
18 FW  CMR Ronald Ngah[16]
19 FW  MAS Gabriel Nistelrooy (on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim II[17][18])
20 GK  MAS Haziq Nadzli
21 MF  MAS Danial Amier (on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim[19])
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 MF  TLS João Pedro[20]
25 MF  BHR Moses Atede
27 DF  MAS Filemon Anyie[21]
28 FW  GHA Jordan Mintah[22]
29 FW  MAS Zharmein Ashraf[23]
35 DF  NGA James Okwuosa[24]
39 GK  MAS Wan Azraie[25]
44 MF  MAS Alif Hassan (captain[26])
50 MF  MAS Diego Baggio[27]
55 GK  MAS Shahril Saa'ri[28]
60 DF  MAS Yohanis Daniel
64 DF  MAS Badrul Hisham
77 DF  JPN Yuki Tanigawa[29]
80 MF  MAS Wesley Azcang Milkias
88 FW  MAS Zahrul Nizwan[30]
— FW  MAS Fergus Tierney
— MF  MAS Endrick
— FW  MAS Ezequiel Agüero
— MF  MAS Brendan Gan

Development squads

Kuching City B (U23)

Head coach: Belarus Oleg Kuzmianok

As of 6 April 2024[31]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  MAS Syafie Mursalim
— GK  MAS Naim Ramadhan Narawi
— DF  MAS Abang Haikal Za'afari
— DF  MAS Haddad Aiman Sufian
— DF  MAS Fadzly Shauqie Jeffry
— DF  MAS Mohd Hazazi Harsi
— DF  MAS Nasharuddin Jaapar Sidik
— DF  MAS Nur Hasbullah Rahman
— DF  MAS Josef Charsel Setom
— DF  MAS Awang Nazmi Shamel
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  MAS Gabriel Batistuta Durling
— MF  MAS Faris Mohd Faidillah
— MF  MAS Adifbadri Ariffin
— MF  MAS Syahryl Aiman Saidin
— MF  MAS Mohd Khuzairi Abdullah
— MF  MAS Azkaharridhi Farhan Hasnan
— FW  MAS Cornelius Ornley Jina
— FW  MAS Mohammad Rahiimin Roslan
— FW  MAS Jeckelly Manir
— FW  MAS Shane Thomas

Season by season record

Updated on 30 November 2024.

Season Division Position Malaysia Cup Malaysian FA Cup Malaysia Challenge Cup Malaysian Charity Shield Regional Top Scorer (All Competitions)
2015–16 Liga LBR Champions DNQ – – – –
2017 FAM League 4th of 7 Group B DNQ – – – –
2018 FAM League 4th of 7 Group A DNQ Second round – – – Malaysia Shafitri Salim (4)
2019 Liga M3 2nd DNQ Second round – – – Malaysia Joseph Kalang Tie (18)
2020 Premier League 4th Cancelled Cancelled – – – Brazil Bryan Jones (4)
2021 Premier League 5th 3rd of 4th Group stage B Not held – – – Malaysia Alif Hassan (6)
2022 Premier League 3rd Quarter-finals Quarter-finals – – - Liberia Abu Kamara (12)
2023 Super League 13th Round 16 Second Round 2nd – – Liberia Abu Kamara (16)
2024-25 Super League 4th Quarter-finals Quarter-finals - – – Ghana Jordan Mintah (15)

Foreign players (since 2019)

Season Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Player 9 Former Player
2019 Japan Yuta Suzuki
2020 Brazil Hudson Jesus Brazil Bryan Jones Anicézio Japan Yuta Suzuki Japan Yuki Tanigawa
2021 Brazil Hudson Jesus Brazil Aylton Alemão Nigeria Ijezie Michael Japan Yuta Suzuki Brazil Bryan Jones
2022 Brazil Gabryel Brazil Aylton Alemão Liberia Abu Kamara Japan Yuki Tanigawa Guyana Keanu Marsh-Brown
2023 Brazil Célio Santos Brazil Aylton Alemão Brazil Bruno Dybal Japan Yuki Tanigawa Serbia Mihailo Jovanović Liberia Abu Kamara Ivory Coast Dechi Marcel Namibia Petrus Shitembi Timor-Leste Pedro Henrique Burundi Sudi Abdallah

Philippines Julian Schwarzer

Nigeria Michael Ijezie

Uzbekistan Sirojiddin Kuziev

2024–25 Japan Yuki Tanigawa Namibia Petrus Shitembi Ghana Jordan Mintah Nigeria James Okwuosa Ivory Coast Kipré Tchétché Brazil Nando Walter Bahrain Moses Atede Guyana Keanu Marsh-Brown

Timor-Leste Pedro Henrique

2025–26 Japan Yuki Tanigawa Namibia Petrus Shitembi Ghana Jordan Mintah Nigeria James Okwuosa Philippines Scott Woods Cameroon Ronald Ngah Wanja Bahrain Moses Atede Timor-Leste João Pedro Brazil Nando Walter

Ivory Coast Kipré Tchétché

Club staff

As of 16 June 2025[update][32]

Team Management (Senior)
Role Person
President vacant
Technical director Malaysia Wan Jamak Wan Hassan
Manager Malaysia Irwanshah Mohamad[33]
Assistant manager Malaysia Ismail Haji Hamdin
Head coach Singapore Aidil Sharin Sahak[34]
Assistant coach Malaysia Firdaus Morshidi
Goalkeeping coach Malaysia Khairul Azman Mohamed[35]
Fitness coach Malaysia Azmi Ibrahim
Video analyst Malaysia Ahmad Mundir
Team doctor Malaysia Muhamad Karbela Reza Ramlan
Physiotherapist Malaysia Mohd Khairul Nizam Suhaimi

Malaysia Ferdinand Lisa

Media officer Malaysia Darul Imran Azmi
Masseur Malaysia Mohamed Zawawi Ali Hassan

Malaysia Mohd Shahrizan Sahari

Kitman Malaysia Mohammad Hysham Adenan

Malaysia Azarul Nazriq

[36]

Team Management (Youth)
Manager

Malaysia Ahmad Zaki Zaidi U23 [37]

Assistant manager Malaysia Awang Azami Awang Idris U23
Head coach Belarus Oleg Kuzmianok U23 [38]
Assistant coach Malaysia Joseph Kalang Tie U23 [39]

Malaysia Nizam Mahmud U23

Goalkeeping coach

Malaysia Abdul Gani Anuar U23 [40] Malaysia Roslan Madilan

Fitness coach

Malaysia Michael Wong U23 [41]

Team admin

Malaysia Roja James U23 [42]

Media officer

Malaysia Mohd Adib Marsat U23 [43]

Physiotherapist Malaysia Gary Nyelang U23 [44]
Masseur

Malaysia Padil Abet U23

Kitman

Malaysia Saiful Abdullah U23 [45]

Honours

League

Cup

References

  1. ^ "New imports set to bolster Kuching City's Super League 2023 campaign". The Borneo Post. 6 January 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Kuching Joins Liga FAM". SarawakCrocs.com – Sarawak's No.1 Football Site. 2 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Liga Bola Sepak Rakyat (LBR) to revive interest at district level". SPORTS247.MY – The Ultimate Malaysian Sports Channel. 13 June 2015.
  4. ^ http://www.fourthofficial.com/2015/20837/liga-bolasepak-rakyat-will-unearth-more-talent-najib-razak/ Liga Bolasepak Rakyat will unearth more talent – Najib Razak
  5. ^ "Kuching FA Juara Sulung Liga Bolasepak Rakyat". SarawakCrocs.com – Sarawak's No.1 Football Site. 28 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Liga Premier: Kuching FA masih tunggu lampu hijau daripada FAM". 30 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Kuching City FC Kit History". Football Kit Archive. 5 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  8. ^ "The Great Wall of Kuching City". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  9. ^ "The Great Wall of Kuching City". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Tiga import perkuatkan Kuching City - Fazzrudin". Facebook TVS. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Ramadhan milik penuh Kuching City, status pinjaman bertukar perpindahan tetap". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Hazwan Bakri is KUCHING CITY!". Facebook Kuching City FC. 9 Sep 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  13. ^ "The Engine". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  14. ^ "The Attacking Force". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  15. ^ "The Attacking Force". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Tiga import perkuatkan Kuching City - Fazzrudin". Facebook TVS. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  17. ^ "The prodigal sons returns. Welcome home, Gabriel Nistelrooy". Facebook Kuching City FC. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Loan transfer confirmed. Gabriel Nistelrooy joins Kuching City FC on loan from JDT. Welcome to Kuching City FC!". Facebook Kuching City FC. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  19. ^ "The Engine". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Tiga import perkuatkan Kuching City - Fazzrudin". Facebook TVS. 25 June 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  21. ^ "The Great Wall of Kuching City". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  22. ^ "The Attacking Force". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  23. ^ "The Attacking Force". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  24. ^ "The Great Wall of Kuching City". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  25. ^ "The Goalkeeper". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  26. ^ "The Engine". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  27. ^ "The Engine". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  28. ^ "The Goalkeeper". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  29. ^ "The Great Wall of Kuching City". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  30. ^ "The Attacking Force". Facebook Kuching City FC. 12 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 team squad for 2024/2025 season announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 6 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  32. ^ "Kuching City FC Team Staff for 2024/2025 Season". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  33. ^ "Former Sarawak footballer to be appointed as team manager". Facebook Kuching City FC. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  34. ^ "Kuching City FC melantik Aidil Shahrin menggantikan Irfan Bakti". Facebook HarimauMalaya. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  35. ^ "Former Malaysian legendary appointed as goalkeeping coach". Facebook Kuching City FC. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  36. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  37. ^ "New head coach for U23 team appointed". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  38. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  39. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  40. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  41. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  42. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  43. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  44. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  45. ^ "Kuching City Under-23 Team announced". Facebook Kuching City FC. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  • Official website
  • Kuching City F.C. on Facebook
  • Sarawak Football News website
  • Current results of Kuching City matches at Flashscore
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