Malaysian football must brace for the harshest FIFA penalty, even more severe than point deductions.

Amid FAM's efforts to contest the illegal naturalization of seven players, former Secretary-General Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad cautions that Malaysian football might endure a heavy sanction from FIFA and AFC.

In recent days, the Malaysian football community has been engulfed in concern as The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has submitted an appeal to FIFA's Appeal Committee, following the discovery of the unlawful naturalization of seven players. Although fans still hope the decision might be overturned, many experts, including former FAM Secretary-General Datuk Seri Azzuddin Ahmad, remain pessimistic.

In an interview with Astro Arena, Mr. Azzuddin candidly shared: “You may shake hands with the FIFA President, but rules are rules. Malaysian football must prepare for all possible outcomes, including suspension, point deductions, or even harsher penalties. Nothing can stand against FIFA once the matter is in their hands.”

According to the former official, FIFA possesses all the evidence, including birth certificates and sworn statements related to the seven players allegedly naturalized illegally. Therefore, the chance of FAM succeeding in the appeal is very slim. He added: “Do we want to embarrass ourselves again? It is unfortunate that the country’s reputation suffers while these players are still receiving substantial payments.”

Besides warning about the penalties, Mr. Azzuddin also criticized FAM for suspending the current Secretary-General Noor Azman Rahman amid the ongoing investigation. He believes this is an act of “finding a scapegoat” rather than resolving the issue transparently. “Blaming someone during an investigation is inappropriate. The daily operations of the secretariat must continue without disruption from public pressure,” he emphasized.

The incident originated when FIFA found FAM violated naturalization regulations, resulting in a 12-month suspension for the seven involved players. The global football governing body also demanded FAM take responsibility for alleged document forgery. The final decision on the appeal is expected to be announced on October 30.

If found severely guilty, Malaysian football could face not only point deductions but also suspension from international competitions or even bans from FIFA and AFC tournaments for an extended period. This would mean Malaysian national teams and clubs would be barred from regional and continental competitions, delivering a significant blow to the country’s football reputation.

While FAM remains cautious, Mr. Azzuddin believes the most important thing now is to acknowledge the mistakes and prepare for the worst-case scenario. “FIFA is not easily swayed. If you have broken the rules, you must accept the consequences. What needs to be done now is to learn from this to avoid repeating it,” he concluded.

With the case being closely monitored, Malaysian fans can only await FIFA’s verdict at the end of the month, fearing that the upcoming penalty might change the entire landscape of the nation’s football.

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