Don't mess with Malaysia's World Cup qualifying campaign.
Only 19,000 tickets have been sold for Tottenham Hotspur's friendly versus a Malaysian XI on Wednesday, the result of an effective protest from the Ultras Malaya, a Malaysian fan group.
The fixture, which is set to take place at the 80,000-capacity Shah Alam Stadium, is viewed as a disruption to Malaysia's World Cup qualifying preparations, as the national team is set to begin their bid to reach Russia 2018 on June 11, when they host Timor-Leste.
Along with Liverpool's visit to Malaysia in July, the Ultras Malaya have branded the pair of games as "circus matches," asking supporters to rip up tickets while urging a boycott.
In recent years, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal have had no trouble drawing crowds for friendly matches in Malaysia.
- With h/t to the Guardian