BREAKING: AFC may take over the Football Association of Malaysia

The AFC is ready to temporarily manage FAM from 3 to 9 months should the Malaysian football leaders resign en masse, in order to avoid penalties and maintain the country's football activities.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has issued a statement expressing its willingness to intervene, even temporarily take over the management duties of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) if the leadership team resigns collectively.

This information emerges amid a serious internal crisis within FAM. Previously, acting FAM President Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi confirmed that the Executive Committee members might opt for a collective resignation to prevent Malaysian football from facing heavy sanctions by AFC and FIFA.

According to Mr. Yusoff, the FAM leadership currently has “two to three options” to handle the situation, with the resignation proposal being one of the seriously considered solutions. “We have received various responses and need more time to discuss before making a final decision. If resignation is the best solution for Malaysian football, we are prepared to make that decision in the spirit of unity within the Executive Committee,” Mr. Yusoff emphasized.

However, up to now, FAM has not issued any official announcement regarding the possibility of a collective resignation of its leaders. Nevertheless, regional experts assess that if this scenario occurs, the AFC already has contingency plans in place.

Specifically, AFC Secretary General Datuk Windsor John Paul stated that if FAM faces a “power vacuum,”the AFC can temporarily oversee Malaysian football operations for a period ranging from 3 to 9 months. The aim of this measure is to ensure that domestic football activities continue uninterrupted and to assist FAM in restructuring its management system according to international standards.

Many opinions suggest that if implemented, the FAM leadership’s proactive resignation could be seen as a responsible step to protect the reputation and future of Malaysian football on the international stage, especially amid growing pressure from continental football governing bodies.