Why Imigresen Became Star City
On 1 July 2026, the senior management of IFC Corp announced unanimously that Imigresen Football Club would become Star City Football Club, effective immediately, ahead of the 2026/27 Liga Super season. The club introduced a new crest — an eagle gripping a football on a circular shield in yellow — and confirmed a permanent base in Alor Setar.
The naming logic was explained directly by the club: “Star” draws on Alor Setar’s role as the historic, administrative and developmental heart of Kedah Darul Aman, while “City” signals a modern club identity with ambitions beyond its current level. CEO Datuk Syed Mahadi Syed Hassan framed the move as the beginning of a long-term project to build one of Malaysia’s most respected football organisations.
The strategic reading is straightforward and shrewd. Kedah Darul Aman were expelled from the Super League ahead of the 2025/26 season over financial compliance failures, leaving one of Malaysian football’s most passionate states without a top-flight club. Star City are walking into that space with a professional licence, a Super League place and a name built for the region.
The risk is equally clear. Rebrands raise expectations faster than squads improve, and Kedah’s supporters have a strong existing loyalty that a new name does not automatically inherit. Winning that constituency will take results, not branding.
- 2015 Founded as Imigresen FC in Putrajaya; competes in Klang Valley football.
- 2019–20 Kuala Lumpur League runners-up; promotion to the M3 League; FA Cup debut.
- Feb 2025 Finish A1 Semi-Pro League runners-up — promoted to the Super League for the first time.
- 2025 Beat Terengganu in the FA Cup round of 16 through a João Pedro stoppage-time winner.
- 2025–26 Ninth place in a debut top-flight season.
- 1 Jul 2026 Rebranded as Star City FC, based in Alor Setar.
Star City First-Team Core
The squad that survived a debut Super League season under Yusri Che Lah was built on a low defensive block and a single high-volume attacking outlet. Eduardo Sosa’s six league goals put him tenth in the overall charts — the highest-placed player from any club outside the top six.
Core squad members carried over from the 2025/26 Imigresen season. Kit supplied by AL Sports, with Weststar as principal sponsor and FIVE Petroleum, CTIntel and Al-Ikhsan Sports among the shirt partners. Coaching appointments, venue confirmation and squad numbers for the rebranded club are subject to change — check back for the latest Star City news.
A Debut Season of Extremes
Imigresen started badly — tenth after matchday one, thirteenth by matchday four — and then found their level. From matchday nine onwards they hovered between eighth and ninth, which for a promoted side in a division containing Johor Darul Ta’zim is a legitimate result.
The home form was where the survival was earned: a 5–0 demolition of PDRM, a 3–0 win over Kelantan, and a 1–1 draw with Negeri Sembilan. They also won away at Penang and at Melaka, two of the three sides that finished below them.
Against the top four they were comprehensively beaten. 0–3 at home to Johor, 0–3 at home to KL City, and 5–0 away at Johor. Twenty-two goals scored and thirty-three conceded across fifteen matches tells the story: capable against equals, overwhelmed by anyone better.
The cup gave them their best night. A João Pedro stoppage-time winner against Terengganu in the FA Cup round of 16 remains the club’s signature result at this level, and the kind of moment a rebranding club will want on its highlight reel.
Filling the Kedah Vacuum
Kedah Darul Aman were one of Malaysian football’s genuine heavyweights — a club with a treble-winning history, a devoted following and one of the most intense home atmospheres in the country. They were expelled from the Super League ahead of the 2025/26 season after failing the MFL’s national licensing requirements on financial grounds, alongside Perak.
That left a state of over two million people without top-flight football. Star City’s relocation and rebrand is an explicit attempt to occupy that space — and the club has been open about the “strong regional connection” underpinning the new identity.
Whether Kedah’s supporters accept a rebranded outsider is the open question, and the early social-media reaction in the state was mixed. Some welcomed the return of top-flight football to Alor Setar; others noted that loyalty to the Kedah name is not transferable.
The precedent cuts both ways. Malaysian football has seen relocated and renamed clubs build genuine followings, and it has seen others play in front of empty stands. Results in the first two months of 2026/27 will decide which category Star City fall into.
New Name, Same Squad
The uncomfortable fact behind the rebrand is that Star City are, on the pitch, the ninth-placed team from last season. The crest is new; the goal difference is not.
The 12-team Super League is a mixed blessing. Fewer fixtures means fewer chances to accumulate points, and with PDRM and Kelantan The Real Warriors both gone, the pool of Teams Star City can reliably beat has shrunk. The realistic target is mid-table consolidation and building a support base.
The upside is that Star City are one of the very few Malaysian clubs currently investing in identity rather than cutting costs — while four Super League clubs have exited since 2025 over licensing failures. Solvency alone puts them ahead of a lot of recent history.
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Star City FC FAQ
Who are Star City FC?
The rebranded Imigresen FC. The change took effect on 1 July 2026, with a new crest, a new name and a base in Alor Setar, Kedah.
Why did Imigresen change their name?
IFC Corp described it as the start of a long-term project to build a more professional and competitive club. “Star” refers to Alor Setar; “City” signals the modern club identity.
Where did they finish in 2025/26?
Ninth, competing as Imigresen FC in their debut Super League season after promotion as A1 Semi-Pro League runners-up in February 2025.
Are Star City the same club as Kedah Darul Aman?
No. They are a separate club that has relocated to Alor Setar. Kedah Darul Aman were expelled from the Super League in 2025 over licensing and financial compliance.
Who is Star City’s top scorer?
Eduardo Sosa, with six league goals in 2025/26 — the highest-scoring player from any club outside the division’s top six.
What does the new crest show?
An eagle gripping a football on a circular shield, rendered in yellow — a deliberate break from the previous Imigresen identity.
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