Southeast Asian football fans collectively reacted when Malaysia's appeal to FIFA failed.

FIFA formally declared that Malaysia's appeal over the case of 7 unlawfully naturalized players has been rejected.

The FIFA Appeal Committee has officially dismissed the appeals filed by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the 7 naturalized players—Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano—related to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision concerning violations of Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (for forgery and falsification).

After reviewing the case and holding a hearing, the Appeal Committee fully upheld the original sanctions. Malaysia’s Football Association and the 7 players were fined, and the 12-month suspension for the 7 illegally naturalized players remains in effect.

Immediately, FIFA’s rejection of Malaysia’s appeal stirred strong reactions among Southeast Asian football fans. One fan commented: “No surprise at all, this was expected, but I’ll pretend to be shocked,” while another said, “FIFA has made an official statement, no room for denial.”

There were also less negative opinions expressed: “It’s true that FIFA’s sanctions cannot be changed, but it’s really unfortunate for those 7 players—they have essentially sacrificed their careers,” and “This is the end for Malaysia’s Football Association; it’s sad they chose illegal naturalization to strengthen the national team.”

However, the matter is not closed yet. The Football Association of Malaysia plans to obtain the full written reasoning from FIFA before deciding whether to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Regarding whether Malaysia will forfeit matches involving the 7 illegally naturalized players, including the 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in March 2026, fans will have to wait. The final decision will rest with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which will also await FIFA and CAS outcomes before issuing the ultimate ruling on the case.