KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — The national football team today departed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a Malaysia Airlines charter flight on a mission to face their remaining three matches of the second round of the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Malaysia Airlines is the official flight partner of the Harimau Malaya squad in collaboration with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Forty-five players and team officials including FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin departed from the KL International Airport (KLIA) at 9am aboard flight MH8436 and are scheduled to arrive in Dubai at 12.20pm local time.

"Malaysia Airlines’ commitment and support for the national squad is beyond question. Moreover, the cooperation between the two parties has been established since 2018,” Hamidin said in a FAM statement today.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines is proud to be a part of history in supporting the national team to bring Malaysia’s name to the world stage, and informed that it also provides an opportunity for the national airline to fly outside its regular network.

"Malaysia Airlines is committed to offering the highest standards of safety and hygiene at every step of the flight to ensure that the Harimau Malaya team flies confidently and comfortably to perform in their matches, especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Malaysia Airlines Bhd Group Chief Executive Officer Izham Ismail in the same statement.

Malaysia Airlines will operate four special charter flights, from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai, Dubai to Manama, Bahrain, Manama to Dubai and Dubai to Kuala Lumpur to fly the national team to face two international friendly matches and then for the qualifying campaign.

Even more exciting is that the national team are scheduled to return home on an A330-300 aircraft with the backdrop of the Harimau Malaya livery.

Harimau Malaya, coached by Tan Cheng Hoe, will face Kuwait in Dubai and Bahrain in Manama on May 23 and 28 respectively before continuing the remainder of their Group G qualifying campaign against the UAE on June 3, Vietnam (June 11) and Thailand on June 15. — Bernama