Malaysia is concerned about AFC's latest decision.

A new move by AFC is pushing Malaysia's Asian Cup 2027 qualification dossier into a decisive phase, which could directly impact the group stage situation for the Vietnamese national team.

The Asian Cup 2027 is entering its final preparatory stage before confirming all 16 participating teams for the finals. The last qualifying matches will be played on March 31, meaning all slots must be finalized shortly after. National associations must also complete all legal documentation regarding team eligibility and player registration.

The tournament will be held from January 7 to February 5, 2027, in Saudi Arabia, across eight stadiums in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar. The host has committed to providing dedicated hotels, fixed training venues for each team, and optimized travel arrangements between match locations. Notably, the group stage draw has been scheduled by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for April 11, meaning all issues related to the eligibility of participating teams must be clarified before this date. —placing direct pressure on unresolved cases, with Malaysia being a notable example.

This timeline creates significant pressure for cases with legal complications, especially Malaysia's. With limited time remaining, Malaysia's situation is now under particular scrutiny. Previously, seven naturalized players from the Malaysian national team were suspended by FIFA for 12 months due to allegations of falsified international eligibility documents. The Football Association of Malaysia has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, hoping to prolong the proceedings.

According to sports law expert Zhafri Aminurashid, CAS has four possible outcomes: uphold the original sanction, reduce it, partially overturn it, or fully exonerate. He also noted that the standard process could take several weeks or even months after the hearing, as the arbitration panel needs time to analyze evidence and draft a comprehensive ruling.

However, with AFC having fixed the draw schedule, the window for a prolonged process is nearly closed. To ensure the validity of the tournament's team list, a decision from CAS will likely need to be announced soon, thereby providing AFC with the legal basis to make a final determination regarding matches involving suspended players.

If the original sanction is upheld or only slightly modified, it is highly probable that Malaysia will be deemed to have forfeited their matches against Nepal and Vietnam. In that case, the group standings would change significantly ahead of the final matchday on March 31. The Vietnamese national team could secure a spot in the Asian Cup 2027 without waiting for a replay, while Malaysia faces an imminent and definitive ruling.