It’s the Blues versus the Southern Tigers this August! For the first time in 13 years, English Premier League club Chelsea is returning to Malaysia to face Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in a pre-season friendly match.
Earlier this week, Chelsea announced that it has added Malaysia to the club’s pre-season tour schedule for the Asia Pacific region. The club will play against JDT at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor on 11th August 2026 (Tuesday) at 8pm. The match is part of Chelsea’s preparation for the 2026-2027 Premier League season.
Ticket prices range between RM154 and RM1,254. Pre-sale tickets for the match are already available on 21st May 2026 (Thursday), 10am. Supporters who are eligible for this pre-sale will receive more details via email. Meanwhile, general sale for seats starts on 22nd May 2026 (Friday), from 12pm onwards, via tickethotline.com.my.
The APAC pre-season tour also includes stops in Sydney, Hong Kong and Jakarta. This upcoming Chelsea-JDT match marks the English club’s return to Malaysia after 13 years, and its first match staged outside of Kuala Lumpur. Chelsea’s Director of Football Operations, Pete Nuttall, said the club is thrilled to return to Malaysia and reconnect with supporters in the region.
JDT’s Chief Executive Officer, Luis Garcia, also reportedly said that the match is a milestone for the Malaysian football club and reflects JDT’s growing stature in Asian football. Likewise, football fans have expressed excitement about the upcoming match, saying they look forward to seeing Chelsea and JDT face off.
Given how long it’s been since Chelsea’s last appearance in Malaysia, we’d say this match is one local supporters shouldn’t miss out on. For more information on the match, check out Chelsea and JDT’s official websites.
Sources: Chelsea FC, JDT FC, Malay Mail
