Southeast Asian fans warn Malaysia after submitting an appeal to FIFA

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has formally lodged an appeal to FIFA concerning the incident involving seven naturalized players caught with fraudulent paperwork, causing a stir in the regional football scene over the past few days.

According to Acting President Datuk Yusoff Mahadi, FAM submitted the appeal before the deadline and was supported by a team of international lawyers experienced in football law. He confirmed that the entire dossier was thoroughly prepared:

“This is our second chance. Everything has been carefully and comprehensively reviewed,” said Yusoff Mahadi.

Previously, on October 6th, FIFA imposed a fine of 350,000 Swiss Francs (about 11 billion VND) on FAM and banned the seven players—Palmero, Garces, Holgado, Machuca, Figueiredo, Irazabal, and Hevel—from playing for 12 months, as they were found to have falsified documents to qualify for the Malaysian national team.

The news of FAM’s official appeal quickly became a hot topic on social media. On the ASEAN Football forum, many regional fans expressed concerns about potential risks if FIFA uncovered additional evidence.

Marco Setiawan (Indonesia) commented: “An appeal can be a double-edged sword. If FIFA finds more proof that FAM actually forged documents, the punishment could be even harsher. Many previous cases saw penalties increased after appeals.”

Dendy Ruicosta (Philippines) also believes the chances of winning the case are slim: “This case will be very difficult. FIFA holds solid evidence, so reversing the decision won't be easy.”

Meanwhile, Sintia Munawar (Malaysia) worries about the direct impact on the team’s performance: “Be prepared to lose 6 points in the Asian Cup qualifiers if FIFA upholds the ruling.”

Chakrit Pongsiri (Thailand) remarked: “FAM is taking a gamble. Anyway, they have no other choice but to defend the national team’s reputation.”

Experts consider Malaysia’s appeal a “necessary move” because without it, FIFA’s sanctions would seriously affect preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup and the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. However, the likelihood of overturning the decision is seen as very slim, given FIFA’s firm stance on player document fraud cases.

Currently, FAM is awaiting an official response from FIFA. If the appeal fails, Malaysia will not only lose key players but may also face point deductions or long-term bans from international competitions, severely impacting the country’s football development.