Real Madrid's Asian tour will not take in Malaysia as planned, with media reports saying the Spanish giant's demand for a US$2.9-million appearance fee was proving too expensive.

Real Madrid had been scheduled to play the Malaysian national team on August 10 at the National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, and regional television stations had already advertised the game.

But Football Association of Malaysia assistant general secretary Yap Nyim Keong said the game had been cancelled.

"The terms were not acceptable," he said Tuesday, without elaborating.

The New Straits Times said Real Madrid had wanted 11 million ringgit (US$2.9 million) to play in Kuala Lumpur, while the total cost of staging the match would have reached 18 million ringgit.

"While sponsors can help defray some of the costs, ticket sales are the major revenue earner but even a capacity crowd of 80,000 at the National Satdium won't help meet the costs," the paper said.

Real Madrid, keen to cash in on Asia's love of soccer, are due to showcase David Beckham, Ronaldo, Raul and all their other stars in a series of exhibition matches across the region next month.

Beckham is regarded as the hottest soccer property in Asia and Real Madrid intended to particularly showcase him after his transfer from Manchester United.

Real are due to land in the southern Chinese city of Kunming on Friday before playing a game against an invitational Chinese team in Beijing next week. They are then due to play in Tokyo and Hong Kong.

However Chinese officials said last week that the match between Real Madrid and the Chinese national side scheduled for August 8 in Hong Kong was also under a cloud because the Spanish giants were asking for too much money.

The Guangzhou-based Nanfang Sports News said Real Madrid had priced themselves out of the market with a demand for an appearance fee of two million euros (US$2.26 million), plus travel and accommodation expenses.

Hong Kong officials have said the match is definitely going ahead however.

Singapore's Straits Times newspaper said the city-state had also rejected Real's overtures for a game to be played there because of the Spanish team's excessive demands for money.

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