This season saw a revamp of the competition's format by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Announced earlier on 24 November 2018 by FAM deputy president Yusoff Mahadi,[1] the format of the new season was outlined in a meeting by FAM's Local Competition Committee and were announced in a media statement on 19 December 2018.
[2] Earlier, there was speculation that the league organization might be taken over by the Malaysian Football League, organizers of the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Premier League, having been held by the FAM since 1951,[3] but this was clarified in an FAM media statement that the FAM will cooperate with the MFL for the organization of the tournament, with the FAM still holding major responsibilities and ownership of the tournament and the rights of it.
MFL covered the cost of the teams participating from the first round up until the quarter-finals, while the FAM covered the cost of the teams participating from that point onwards.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules.