Penang F.C. set their sights on a top-six finish in the 2026/2027 Malaysia Super League, with chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen declaring the target achievable after two consecutive seasons of steady improvement. The Panthers finished 10th in 2024/2025 before climbing to eighth last season, and reached the Challenge Cup final.
“We want to maintain the momentum and challenge other teams even though we have to play at the State Stadium in Batu Kawan as the City Stadium is being upgraded,” Daniel Gooi said at a press conference in George Town on 2 August, according to [Bernama](https://thesun.my/sports/football/penang-fc-aims-for-top-six-finish-in-super-league-this-season/).
Daniel Gooi, who also serves as Penang state executive councillor for youth, sports and health, expressed full confidence in head coach Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail despite questions from some fans about his position. “We will continue to support him and hope he repays our trust with better performance for the team and the fans,” he said.
The press conference also marked the announcement of strategic partnerships with Vitahealth, Aspen Nutrition and Eastroc as the club’s 2026/2027 season sponsors.
On the squad front, Wan Rohaimi confirmed the club would retain 14 players from last season while bringing in 15 new signings. Two more foreign players are expected to arrive from Uzbekistan, midfielder Bakhtiyor Kosimov and roaming striker Murodbek Bobojonov, both formerly of the Iraqi League.
“Our main weakness last season is our failure to convert our chances,” Wan Rohaimi said, adding that he hoped the Uzbekistan duo would address the problem.
Separately, The Star reported on 4 July that Argentinian centreback Stefano Brundo had signed a one-year contract extension to remain as captain. Brundo made 34 appearances last season, scoring eight goals, and told [The Star](https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/football/2026/07/04/brundo-will-remain-the-rock-of-penang-in-new-super-league-season) he stayed to “achieve a better position in the Super League than last year and fight for a top-five finish.”
Nigerian defender Faith Obilor and Filipino winger OJ Porteria are the other foreign players retained. Locally, the club has kept goalkeepers Khairul Azhan Khalid and Ramadhan Abd Hamid, midfielders Mohd Izzat Zikri, Firdaus Saiyadi and Chia Ruo Han, plus defenders Khairul Akmal Rokisham and Ashriq Izzat, and striker Akid Zamri.
The Panthers played three pre-season friendlies in the Sri Semantan Cup in Kelantan recently. Wan Rohaimi expressed surprise at the squad’s chemistry despite only training together for three weeks. Three international friendlies follow: two in Songkhla, Thailand on 7 and 9 August, and one in Surabaya, Indonesia on 15 August.
The new Super League season opens with Penang hosting Brunei DPMM FC at Batu Kawan Stadium on 23 August.
