The JDT-Negeri Sembilan rivalry is a football rivalry between Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. (JDT) and Negeri Sembilan FC (NS). The derby is an inter-state rivalry in the south region of Peninsular Malaysia, as the states of Johor and Negeri Sembilan share a border. Johor Darul Ta'zim play their home matches at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, while Negeri Sembilan play their home matches at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium. The rivalry dates back to 2001, with the first competitive fixture being a Malaysia Cup group stage match, which Johor FC lost 1–4 against Negeri Sembilan. As of 2026, Johor Darul Ta'zim has maintained a dominant unbeaten run against their rivals for over a decade.
History
Historical backgrounds and origins The roots of both clubs date back to the 20th century history of Malaysian football. Negeri Sembilan was originally established in 1923 as the Negeri Sembilan Football Association (NSFA), making it one of the older state football associations in the country.Ooi, E. R. (1988). The Development of Malaysian Football. Kuala Lumpur: Sports Publications. Meanwhile, Johor Darul Ta'zim traces its official lineage back to 1972, when it was founded as the Perbadanan Kemajuan Ekonomi Negeri Johor Football Club (PKENJ FC) before changed their name into Johor FC, and later undergoing a massive rebranding in late 2012 under the vision of the Crown Prince of Johor."The History of Johor Darul Ta'zim FC", Johor Southern Tigers, 2022. Despite their long individual histories, the two sides did not become regular opponents until the 2000s. Through the 2000s and early 2010s, Negeri Sembilan and Johor FC met often in the league, the Malaysia Cup and the FA Cup, and those matches built the rivalry.Football Association of Malaysia. (2012). FAM Annual Competition Records 2000–2011.
Geographical proximity and regional identity The foundation of the rivalry lies in geography. Johor and Negeri Sembilan are neighbouring states in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia that share a border, and matches between their representative clubs have consequently carried an element of local and regional pride. Both fanbases competed for regional bragging rights in the south. When the two teams met, the journey for away supporters was relatively short compared with trips to the north or the east coast, which made for lively atmospheres at both the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri and the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, Seremban. State pride and regional standing motivated the local fanbases, turning ordinary league matches into emotionally charged encounters.
Negeri Sembilan's prominence and JDT's overtaking In the 2000s and early 2010s, Negeri Sembilan was one of the most successful clubs in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia. During this period it won the Super League in 2006, the FA Cup in 2003 and 2010, and the Malaysia Cup in 2009 and 2011.Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). "Malaysia – List of Cup Winners". Johor FC, by comparison, won far fewer major honours in the same years. This changed after JDT's rebranding in 2012. Backed by heavy investment under the Crown Prince of Johor, the club quickly became a title contender and soon went on to dominate the league, replacing Negeri Sembilan as the leading club in the south.
Hooliganism and violence
The rivalry between Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. and Negeri Sembilan FC is frequently marked by high-tension atmospheres and crowd disturbances. Classified as a high-risk fixture, the "Southern Derby" requires heavy security to manage the intense rivalry between supporters.
2022 Stadium Paroi incident During a Super League match on 11 May 2022, crowd unrest occurred at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium after JDT scored a late winning goal. Sections of the home crowd hurled plastic bottles and objects toward the pitch and visiting fans. Outside the stadium, the situation escalated with the lighting of firecrackers, leading to several arrests by the Police.
Clashes between supporter On 1 November 2024, violent clashes broke out between rival supporters near Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman. The confrontation, which went viral on social media, resulted in the arrest of five supporters .
List of matches
Seasons Date Tournament Home team Score Away team2001 22 September 2001 Malaysia Cup Group Stage Johor FC 1–4 Negeri Sembilan 9 October 2001 Negeri Sembilan 4–1 Johor FC2002 9 February 2002 Liga Perdana 1 Negeri Sembilan FA 1–0 Johor FC 11 May 2002 Johor FC 2–1 Negeri Sembilan FA2005 26 March 2005 Liga Perdana 2 Group B Johor FC 1–1 Negeri Sembilan FA 22 May 2005 Negeri Sembilan FA 3–0 Johor FC2006/07 16 December 2006 Malaysia Super League Johor FC 0–0 Negeri Sembilan FA 4 August 2007 Negeri Sembilan FA 1–1 Johor FC2007/08 1 January 2008 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FA 2–0 Johor FC 30 March 2008 Johor FC 2–4 Negeri Sembilan FA2009 10 February 2009 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FA 3–0 Johor FC 27 June 2009 Johor FC 3–0 Negeri Sembilan FA2010 12 January 2010 Malaysia Super League Johor FC 1–1 Negeri Sembilan FA 2 February 2010 Malaysia FA Cup round 1 Johor FC 2–2 Negeri Sembilan FA 6 February 2010 Negeri Sembilan FA 5–3 Johor FC 11 May 2010 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FA 2–1 Johor FC 20 October 2010 Malaysia Cup semi-final Negeri Sembilan FA 0–1 Johor FC 23 October 2010 Johor FC 0–2 Negeri Sembilan FA2011 12 March 2011 Malaysia Super League Johor FC 0–0 Negeri Sembilan FA 19 May 2011 Negeri Sembilan FA 2–1 Johor FC2012 14 February 2012 Malaysia Super League Johor FC 0–2 Negeri Sembilan FA 18 February 2012 Malaysia FA Cup round 1 Negeri Sembilan FA 1–2 Johor FC 19 June 2012 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FA 2–1 Johor FC2013 2 March 2013 Malaysia Super League Johor Darul Ta'zim 2–1 Negeri Sembilan FA 2 July 2013 Negeri Sembilan FA 0–2 Johor Darul Ta'zim 2015 4 March 2015 Malaysia FA Cup round 2 Johor Darul Ta'zim 4–1 Negeri Sembilan FA 2016 4 March 2016 Malaysia FA Cup round 3 Johor Darul Ta'zim 4–1 Negeri Sembilan FA2018 23 May 2018 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan 0–4 Johor Darul Ta'zim 23 May 2018 Johor Darul Ta'zim 2–0 Negeri Sembilan FA2022 10 May 2022 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FC 0–1 Johor Darul Ta'zim 1 October 2022 Johor Darul Ta'zim 5–0 Negeri Sembilan FC2023 6 March 2023 Malaysia Super League Negeri Sembilan FC 0–7 Johor Darul Ta'zim 8 July 2023 Johor Darul Ta'zim 2–0 Negeri Sembilan FC 13 September 2023 Malaysia Cup Quarter-Final Negeri Sembilan FC 0–3 Johor Darul Ta'zim 19 October 2023 Johor Darul Ta'zim 4–1 Negeri Sembilan FC2024/25 18 May 2024 Malaysia Super League Johor Darul Ta'zim 3–1 Negeri Sembilan FC 1 November 2024 Negeri Sembilan FC 0–4 Johor Darul Ta'zim2025/26 12 August 2025 Malaysia Super League Johor Darul Ta'zim 5–3 Negeri Sembilan FC 9 January 2026 Negeri Sembilan FC 0–1 Johor Darul Ta'zim2026/27 11 September 2026 Malaysia Super League Johor Darul Ta'zim 3–0 Negeri Sembilan 27 March 2027 Negeri Sembilan FC – Johor Darul Ta'zim
Head-to-head ranking in Malaysian league
P.82838485868788899091929394959697989900010203040506070809101112131415161718192021222324251 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 23 3 3 3 3 34 4 4 456 6 6 6 6 67 7 7 7 7 78 8 89 9 9 9 910 10 1011 11 1112 12 12 12 12 1213 1314 1415 1516 1617181920
Total: Negeri Sembilan with 19 higher finishes, JDT with 19 higher finishes. Title Wins: Of 44 seasons, 13 seasons ended with either a Negeri Sembilan or a JDT championship. Lowest Finishes: Johor FC's lowest finish was 9th in the 2012 season, and Negeri Sembilan lowest finish was 16th in the 1987 season. Both teams have been relegated from the top flight.
Players who played for both clubs
JDT to Negeri Sembilan
Mahalli Jasuli Hadin Azman Eddy Helmi Sumardi Hajalan
Negeri Sembilan to JDT
Farizal Marlias Syihan Hazmi Aidil Zafuan S. Kunanlan Nazrin Nawi Zaquan Adha K. Thanaraj Norshahrul Idlan
All-time top scorers
As of 11 September 2026, the top scorer of all time in the jdt-negeri sembilan rivalry is Bérgson with 10 goals scored, all for Johor Darul Ta'zim. The top scorer for Negeri Sembilan in the rivalry matches is Jovan Motika, with 2 goals.
Rank Nat. Player Goals Club1Bérgson10Johor Darul Ta'zim2Arif Aiman63Fernando Forestieri44Gonzalo Cabrera35Corbin-Ong3
Highest attendance + Attendance Records (JDT vs Negeri Sembilan) Rank Attendance Date Competition Stadium Ref 1 25,886 1 October 2022 Malaysia Super League Sultan Ibrahim Stadium 2 22,224 11 May 2022 Malaysia Super League Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium 3 16,518 9 January 2026 Malaysia Super League
Honour
Johor Darul Ta'zim CompetitionNegeri SembilanDomestic 12 Malaysia Super League (Division 1) 1 1 Malaysia Premier League (Division 2) 2 2 FAM League (Division 3) – 6 Malaysia Cup 3 5 Malaysia FA Cup 2 11 Charity Shield 1Continental 1 AFC Cup –
See also East Coast Derby Royal Derby Southern Derby Klang Valley Derby Malayan El'Clasico List of association football rivalries List of sports rivalries
References
External links Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. official website Negeri Sembilan FC official website