PETALING JAYA: English Premier League side Chelsea will return to Malaysia for the first time since 2013 when they take on Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in a pre-season friendly at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Aug 11.
The match, organised by TEG Sport, is scheduled for an 8pm kick-off and is expected to draw a full house at the 34,000-capacity stadium.
The fixture will serve as part of Chelsea’s preparations for next season’s Premier League, while Malaysian champions JDT will have the chance to test themselves against one of Europe’s biggest clubs on home soil.
Chelsea, the reigning FIFA Club World Cup champions, are among the most decorated clubs in world football, having won six English league titles, two UEFA Champions League crowns and multiple domestic and European honours.
The London club recently appointed former Xabi Alonso as manager ahead of the new campaign.
JDT, meanwhile, have dominated Malaysian football in recent years, winning 12 consecutive Super League titles while also enjoying success in Asian competitions, including their historic AFC Cup triumph in 2015.
Chelsea’s football operations director Pete Nuttall said the club were excited to conclude their pre-season tour in Malaysia.
"Football has an incredibly passionate following across the region, and this is a fantastic opportunity for our supporters in Malaysia and across South-East Asia to see the team in action once more ahead of the new season," he said.
JDT chief executive officer Luis Garcia described the occasion as another milestone for the Southern Tigers.
"We are incredibly proud and honoured to host one of the world’s renowned Premier League clubs, Chelsea. This reflects the growing stature of JDT within Asian football," he said.
