Fearing FIFA takeover, the Malaysian Football Association issues a surprising ruling

Confronted with the risk of FIFA takeover, the FAM Executive Committee decided on a mass resignation, opening a major new chapter for Malaysian football's future.

According to information from New Straits Times, The Executive Committee of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has agreed on a plan for collective resignation next week, aimed at avoiding direct FIFA control and administration by a normalization committee. This move is described as a “strategic retreat” amid a severe crisis in Malaysian football governance and international disciplinary issues.

Previously, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued a warning to FAM, urging the leadership to review their responsibilities and implement concrete solutions to prevent suspension of the association. If the worst-case scenario occurs, the Malaysian national team would not only be disqualified from the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers but also face the risk of exclusion from the 2026 AFF Cup.

“The purpose of resigning is to show FIFA and AFC that FAM still has the capacity to self-regulate and manage internally,” a source close to FAM was quoted as saying. The source also emphasized: “If the executive committee remains in place and suspension is enforced, FAM will lose all control. Resigning now is like pressing a reset button on their own terms.”

This decision was made after a meeting about two weeks ago with 13 members of the FAM Executive Committee. Although there was initially some opposition, faced with the risk of isolation from the international football system, consensus ultimately favored a “collective sacrifice” to protect the future of domestic leagues and the national team.

FAM’s crisis stems from a scandal involving seven naturalized players found by FIFA to have violated legal documentation rules. As a result, the association faced heavy fines, annulment of several international match results, and the potential deduction of points in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers while awaiting a final ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

A press conference is scheduled for January 28 to officially announce the transition process. The current FAM Executive Committee will collectively resign, paving the way for the establishment of an interim committee and an extraordinary election congress. This is viewed as the last effort to help Malaysian football avoid full FIFA control in the near future.