KUCHING: Kuching City FC (KCFC) aims to elevate Sarawak's name to higher heights in the regional football arena by turning the state into a powerhouse in the development of the sport.

Executive Chairman of KCFC and Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier, Dato Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, said that the club's aspiration is no longer merely to participate in competitions, but rather to strive for success and produce more local talent.

According to him, KCFC will carry the name of Kuching and Sarawak onto the regional stage through its maiden appearance in the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™️ 2026/2027 and the AFC Champions League Two 2026/2027.

“We have a very large family, which is the people of Sarawak.

“We have a responsibility to inspire them, to give them hope, and through what we do on the football pitch, to tell every Sarawakian that we can do it,” he said.

He said this when delivering his speech at the Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony between KCFC and AFFIN Group, which was officiated by the Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg at the AFFIN Regional and Corporate Office in Hikmah Exchange, here on Friday.

Dato Fazzrudin added that the collaboration also sees AFFIN Group becoming part of the KCFC family in sharing aspirations and responsibilities towards Sarawak.

He explained that the partnership opens up opportunities to create new experiences for supporters, in addition to providing more pathways for local talent and future generations.

Therefore, he said, KCFC will give its full commitment on and off the pitch to push The Cats further in return for the trust given.

“Our aspiration now is not just to participate, but we want KCFC and Sarawak to be known as a powerhouse in football development in this region,” he remarked.

Also present were Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Chief Executive Officer of KCFC Iswandi Ali Hassan, Sarawak Accountant General and Board Member of AFFIN Datu Elean Masa’at, Board Member of AFFIN Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, alongside other dignitaries. -UKASnews

Prepared By: Ahmad Daniel Faiz
Photos: Ibanez Jefferty
Translator: Ryan Lim