Indonesia football fans react to FIFA's severe penalty on Malaysia for illegal naturalization

Indonesian fans expressed their views on FIFA's heavy punishment imposed on Malaysian football.

Southeast Asian football was shaken by FIFA's disciplinary decision against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven naturalized players involved in eligibility violations during Malaysia's 4-0 win over Vietnam in the third round of AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

As soon as the news was released, Indonesian football forums immediately erupted with debates. Many supporters agreed with FIFA's penalty and regarded it as a lesson for other national teams in the region.

A fan named Andi Revalk Unggas Mare commented: “The federation and Malaysian players must face this strict punishment; they need to be more careful when recruiting players with mixed heritage.”

Another user, Hendri, also voiced his opinion about the sanction: “This is a mild penalty; a harsher one would be point deductions and future disqualification from competitions.”

Many Indonesian fans admitted they had previously questioned Malaysia’s rapid naturalization process.“We had doubts about the large number of naturalized players in Malaysia. Now it’s clear they broke the rules.”

Several fans also viewed this as a major lesson for other teams in the region.“This punishment serves as a significant warning for other national teams when recruiting players of mixed descent.”

In the increasingly competitive Southeast Asian football scene, many teams have chosen to naturalize foreign players from Africa, South America, or Europe as a trend. However, Malaysia’s case is seen as a “big lesson” because the naturalization process not only sparked controversy but also involved violations.

The sanction against Malaysia will surely remain a topic of debate. Yet, the strong reaction from Indonesian fans clearly shows how much regional supporters care about preserving the true values of football.