Timing for CAS to issue verdict on Malaysia Football Association in the case of 7 naturalized players

The CAS hearing scheduled for late February will decide the outcome for seven Malaysian naturalized players who have been suspended by FIFA over suspected document forgery.

The future of the seven naturalized players in the Malaysian national teamaccused of falsifying documents will be officially clarified during the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing at the end of February.

This information was confirmed by the Secretary General of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Noor Azman Rahman, who provided an update on the latest progress of the appeal against the FIFA-imposed sanctions. According to Noor Azman, the CAS hearing is expected to take place on February 25 or 26, 2026.

“The CAS hearing involving FAM and the naturalized players will be held on either February 25 or 26,” Noor Azman briefly stated on the sidelines of a special FAM Executive Committee meeting at the Wisma FAM headquarters.

Previously, FIFA imposed a 12-month ban on seven Malaysian naturalized players due to suspicions of document forgery during the citizenship application process. The list includes Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel.

However, in the latest development, FAM announced that CAS has approved the players’ request for a “Stay of Execution.” This decision means the 12-month FIFA suspension is temporarily lifted, allowing the players to continue competing and participating in all football activities while awaiting the final CAS ruling.

The conclusion of the late February hearing is seen as a critical turning point, not only directly affecting the careers of the seven naturalized players but also significantly impacting Malaysia’s football personnel plans and reputation amid heightened scrutiny of foreign-born players across Asia.