Malaysia is highly unlikely to be ruled as losing to the Vietnam national team.

Datuk Seri Windsor John, Secretary General of the AFC, confirmed that Malaysia’s team will not face a competition ban in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying rounds.

According to the latest reports from Malaysian media, Datuk Seri Windsor John, Secretary General of the AFC, announced that Malaysia’s national team will not be prohibited from participating in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers despite FIFA’s sanctions related to the scandal involving naturalized players’ documentation. This means there is no basis for awarding a 3-0 forfeit win to Vietnam.

SNE Sports quoted Mr. Windsor John “The Malaysian national team is not suspended. Only seven players involved in the case have been banned from playing for 12 months. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is only required to pay a fine as per FIFA regulations and is not suspended. There are no issues; Malaysia’s team will continue competing. Currently, we are awaiting further actions from FAM.”

According to FIFA’s disciplinary ruling, FAM must pay a fine of approximately 500,000 USD (equivalent to 11.5 billion VND). Meanwhile, seven naturalized players who used falsified documents to register for matches will be banned from all football activities for 12 months.

Previously, FIFA uncovered serious violations in the naturalization documents of these players. Specifically, FAM was accused of falsifying documents to secure eligibility for seven foreign-born players during the Asian Cup qualifiers in June 2025, when Malaysia defeated Vietnam 4-0.

FIFA’s disciplinary body found that FAM breached Article 22 of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code, involving forgery and fraud to gain competitive advantage. This is one of the harshest penalties imposed on Malaysian football in recent years, sparking criticism over the association’s management and transparency.

Nonetheless, Mr. Windsor John’s statement somewhat reassured Malaysian fans by affirming that the national team is allowed to continue its journey in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This means the victory over Vietnam in June 2025 can still stand despite controversies regarding the eligibility of the naturalized players.

In this context, attention now focuses on how FAM will proceed to address the aftermath. On one hand, FAM faces a huge financial penalty; on the other, it must consider rebuilding the squad after losing seven naturalized players within a year.