The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), awarding two 0–3 forfeits in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers after ruling that Malaysia fielded ineligible players.
The decision, announced following a meeting of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, confirms that Malaysia breached Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, relating to the improper registration and use of players.
The AFC ruled that Malaysia must forfeit two key qualification matches:
Malaysia vs Nepal (25 March 2025) → awarded as 0–3 loss
Malaysia vs Vietnam (10 June 2025) → awarded as 0–3 loss.
In addition, FAM has been fined USD 50,000, payable within 30 days.
The disciplinary body stated that the sanctions were imposed after confirming that ineligible players were fielded during both fixtures, invalidating the original results.
The ruling has had immediate and decisive consequences:
* Malaysia lose six points from the forfeited matches
* Their hopes of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 are now mathematically over
With the adjusted standings, Vietnam are confirmed as group winners and have officially qualified for the tournament, sealing progression with a game to spare.
The sanctions stem from a wider eligibility controversy involving naturalised players whose documentation was found to be falsified or non-compliant.
Investigations previously led by FIFA revealed that several foreign-born players were granted eligibility based on incorrect claims of Malaysian ancestry, triggering suspensions and earlier disciplinary action.
The AFC ruling represents the final sporting consequence of that scandal at continental level, following earlier match annulments and player bans.
In its initial reaction, FAM confirmed the decision and indicated it would request full written grounds from the AFC, review the case before deciding on possible next steps, including any appeal
The governing body acknowledged the ruling but has yet to confirm whether it will formally challenge the sanctions.
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