Malaysia's hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup have been dashed after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) overturned their recent victories against Nepal and Vietnam. The decision, announced on Tuesday, cited the fielding of ineligible players.
The AFC’s disciplinary ruling has converted both qualifying matches into 3-0 forfeits, leaving Malaysia six points adrift of Vietnam at the top of Group F. With only one game remaining, this outcome mathematically eliminates them from contention.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has also been penalised with a $50,000 fine, payable within 30 days. In response, FAM stated on its website that it would formally request the full reasoning behind the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee's decision before determining its subsequent course of action.
This development follows a partial upholding by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) earlier this month of FIFA's sanctions against seven footballers. These players, who represented Malaysia using falsified naturalisation documents, will now serve a 12-month suspension from official matches, though they are permitted to continue training with their respective clubs.
The arbitration body also upheld FIFA's substantial 350,000 Swiss franc ($444,275) fine imposed on the Football Association of Malaysia. Deportivo Alaves' Facundo Garces was among the seven players initially banned by FIFA in September, after the governing body discovered doctored documentation had been used to allow them to participate in an Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam.
