FatwaFederal TerritoriesSocial & Contemporary Issues
BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-356: MENONTON PERLAWANAN BOLA SEPAK MENURUT ISLAM: ANTARA HIBURAN DAN TUNTUTAN ADAB
What is the ruling on watching football matches in Islam and what are its limits?
Short answer
The default ruling on watching a match or game is permissible, and Islam does not prevent Muslims from enjoying lawful entertainment.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Bayan Linnas
- Topic
- Social & Contemporary Issues
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The default ruling on watching a match or game is permissible, and Islam does not prevent Muslims from enjoying lawful entertainment. Entertainment must stay balanced and must not lead to heedlessness, moral harm or neglect of religious duties. Scholars differ on watching sports whose players do not fully cover the awrah: some forbid it outright, while others permit it if no forbidden elements are present. This statement adopts the moderate view that permits football, badminton, hockey and sepak takraw as long as players' attire stays within modesty, but excludes swimming, gymnastics and diving, which clearly expose the awrah.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Dalam konteks sukan, hukum asal menonton pertandingan atau permainan adalah harus.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-356: MENONTON PERLAWANAN BOLA SEPAK MENURUT ISLAM: ANTARA HIBURAN DAN TUNTUTAN ADAB”, 16 June 2026. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/bayan-linnas/6602-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-356-menonton-perlawanan-bola-sepak-menurut-islam-antara-hiburan-dan-tuntutan-adab. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-watching-football-matches-islam/