Kelantan Red Warrior Football Club is a Malaysian professional football club based in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. They play in the top division Malaysia Super League, after promotion from the Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League in 2025–26.
History Formation and early years The club was founded on 21 December 2024 by the chairman of the Gerakan Selamatkan Kelantan FC (GSK) Nik Hafiz Naim Nik Hassan in a joint venture with the Football Association of Kelantan. On 16 January 2025, Irfan Bakti Abu Salim has been appointed as the club's head coach. On 5 June, the club has been accepted to the Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League.
FIFA investigation, new ownership In July 2025, FIFA issued a notice to Kelantan Red Warrior Football Club, requesting clarification on whether it is the “sporting successor” of Kelantan Football Club, due to outstanding wages and debts from the old club. The club denied any legal or structural ties with Kelantan and stated it was an entirely new club. In August 2025, Nik Hafiz stepped down as the club president and relinquished all interests to facilitate the league registration. Zaki Harun, the former Kelantan chief police officer, was appointed as the new president of the club.
Promotion to Super League In 2026, Kelantan Red Warrior secured promotion to the Malaysia Super League for the first time in their history.
Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors Since 2025, the club had a kit deal with Warrix worth RM 1 million for two seasons. PeriodKit manufacturerShirt sponsor (chest)2025–2027 WarrixNasken Coffee
Stadium and location CoordinatesLocationStadiumCapacityYear Kota BharuSultan Muhammad IV Stadium 30,0002025–present
Players First-team squad
Club staff
PositionNameHead coach Irfan Bakti Abu SalimAssistant coach Kamarudin AnuarGoalkeeper coach Yusran Mat SharifFitness coach Ghazali HusinTeam Analyst Sideek SamsudinTeam Doctor Wan Aiman Wan Ab RahmanPhysiotherapist Wan Muhammad FaridMasseur Ghazali HusinKitman Ridhuwan MansorTeam Security Suhaimi Mat NorTeam Media Fadhli Sukardi
Management PositionNameChairman Mohd Nassuruddin DaudPresident Zaki HarunChief executive officer Wan Mohd Fajarul EkramChief operating officer Nik Khuzaimi NudinTeam Manager Nazif Ab Aziz
Coaches
+List of Kelantan Red Warrior coachesNameNationalityFromToMWDLGFGAWin %RefIrfan Bakti Abu Salimpresent
Presidents The following have been the presidents of the club's board of directors:
PeriodName21 December 2024–2 August 2025Nik Hafiz Naim Nik Hassan18 August 2025–Zaki Harun
Seasons
SeasonLeagueFA CupMalaysiaCupTop goalscorerDivisionTierPWDLFAPtsPosNameGoals2025–26A122817566415564th––Emmanuel Mbarga322026–27Super League1
ChampionsRunners-upThird PlacePromotedRelegated
P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position
A1 = Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League
QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round QR4 = Fourth Qualifying Round RInt = Intermediate Round R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3
R4 = Round 4 R5 = Round 5 R6 = Round 6 GR = Group Stage QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up S = Shared W = Winners
See also Kelantan FC and Kelantan Red Warrior Conflict
References
External links
Official website