 The sultan was integral in the growth of football in the new era with the introduction of the semi-pro league in 1989 before the game went fully professional several years later.However, success on the football field for the national team was not forthcoming.Among the high points in Malaysian football was the successful hosting of the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, as well as the organisation of the Premier League, which has been called the Malaysia League (M-League) since 2004.