AFC issues a heated statement regarding FAM's CAS case, the Vietnam vs Malaysia match will proceed as scheduled

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially released an important message concerning the appeal case of 7 naturalized players from the Malaysian national team at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Malaysian outlet Arena Metro reported: "The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) asserts that the appeal decision by seven heritage players of the Harimau Malaya squad at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will not affect the organization plans for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers."

According to information published by Arena Metro, AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John made statements to clarify the current situation. Specifically, he emphasized: “We will wait until CAS issues its decision. There is still some time, so there is no issue at the moment.”

This is seen as a crucial statement, helping to alleviate concerns that the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers could be disrupted if the CAS ruling goes unfavorably for Malaysia. Previously, the eligibility of 7 players of Malaysian descent but born or raised abroad being questioned had sparked much debate.

According to the AFC, the body is still awaiting the final ruling from CAS and fully respects the ongoing legal process. However, the most important point is that the match schedule remains unaffected. Arena Metro quoted: "Any decision made by CAS will further clarify the status of the aforementioned players in international competitions. Meanwhile, the AFC guarantees that the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying schedule will proceed as planned without any changes. According to the schedule, Malaysia will have a crucial match against Vietnam in the Asian Cup qualifiers on the upcoming March 31."

The decision on the appeal by the 7 Malaysian players is expected to be announced in the near future.

Thus,

the match between the Vietnamese national team and Malaysia on March 31 will still take place as scheduled. This is a pivotal encounter in the group stage, holding significant importance for the competition for a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

For Malaysia, the CAS ruling is still awaited as it will determine the eligibility status of the aforementioned 7 players for international competitions. If recognized as valid, this would be a significant boost to Harimau Malaya's strength in the qualifying campaign. Conversely, if the ruling is unfavorable, Malaysia may have to adjust its personnel plans.