Group F standings if Malaysia is ruled to lose 0-3: Vietnam secures a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup

If Malaysia is penalized with a 0-3 loss in both matches against Nepal and Vietnam, the chances for Coach Kim Sang Sik's team to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals will be extremely promising.

On the evening of November 3rd, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee issued sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players for violating Article 22 of FIFA's Disciplinary Code related to falsifying and forging registration documents.

With this ruling, the sanctions imposed by FIFA on FAM and the seven naturalized players remain unchanged. According to regulations, FAM and the aforementioned players have 10 days to request the detailed decision and may also appeal to FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber under current rules.

After FIFA's decision takes effect, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary Committee will review and decide on penalties for FAM's violations. According to AFC rules, any match involving ineligible players will be forfeited with a 0-3 loss awarded to the offending team. It is highly likely that Malaysia will be handed losses in both matches against Nepal (March 25) and Vietnam (June 10).

If this scenario occurs, Vietnam's opportunity to advance to the 2027 Asian Cup finals will be very favorable. Specifically, if Malaysia is penalized with losses, Vietnam will have 12 points, Malaysia 6 points, and Laos and Nepal each 3 points (considering only matches up to October 2025). At that point, Vietnam only needs at least a draw against Laos on November 18 to reach 13 points, securing first place in Group F and advancement regardless of Malaysia's results.

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