Madrid's Malaysian date canceled

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Spanish soccer powerhouse Real Madrid's match with Malaysia next month has been canceled, the Football Association of Malaysia said Tuesday, citing unavoidable reasons.

The Kuala Lumpur-based New Straits Times newspaper reported that Malaysian organizers had been unable to meet Madrid's request for an appearance fee of 11 million ringgit (US$2.9 million). The report did not identify its sources.

The announcement comes just days before Madrid embarks on a Far East tour that would include matches against a Chinese team in Beijing, J-League club FC Tokyo in Tokyo and China in Hong Kong.

In a brief statement, Malaysia's soccer body said the cancelation of the Aug. 10 match in Kuala Lumpur -- the final scheduled match of the tour -- was due to "reasons beyond the control of the national body."

The Real team includes soccer celebrities such as Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, the former Manchester United midfielder whom Real Madrid signed last month in a four-year, US$40 million deal. Beckham will make his debut for Real during the team's Asian tour.

However, Malaysia will still host the FA Premier League Asia Cup tournament comprising Chelsea, Newcastle, Birmingham City and the Malaysian national team and starting on Thursday.

It will be the first time the English Football Association has sanctioned such a tournament outside of Britain.

 

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