Malaysian fans collectively gave up after receiving FIFA's ruling

04/11/2025 10:28:00 VictoryVox

FIFA officially dismissed Malaysia's appeal concerning the 7 naturalized players, leading fans to show their frustration and worry about the future of their football.

On the evening of November 3, 2025, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) officially received notification from FIFA that the appeal related to the 7 naturalized players Arrocha, Garcés, Holgado, Machuca, Figueiredo, Iraurgui, and Serrano was dismissed. FAM stated they will request FIFA to provide detailed reasons in writing before considering an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The FIFA Protest Committee confirmed the initial sanctions, including fines imposed on FAM and the 7 players, as well as a 12-month suspension for the unauthorized naturalized players. The final decision on whether Malaysia will forfeit the matches involving these players, including the 4-0 win against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in March 2026, will be made by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). FIFA's decision has deeply disappointed Malaysian fans and raised serious concerns about the future of their football.

ĐV Malaysia buông xuôi sau khi nhận phán quyết từ FIFA 734054 — Following FIFA's ruling, FAM can only cling to hope by submitting a case to CAS. (Photo: Asean Football)

Reactions from Malaysian fans immediately erupted across various forums. One fan wrote: "Honestly, even though I expected this outcome, I’m still shocked and very saddened!" Another commented: "The dark era of Malaysian football has returned; whoever can help now deserves to be canonized."

Many fans bitterly reflected on the crisis, even fearing that Malaysian football might lose its standing altogether: "It's a rare blessing to witness such a state of our national football; I fear it might vanish from Malaysia entirely!" Meanwhile, others made pointed remarks: "This was predictable. Fans just want to know who will take responsibility. Will FAM really be 'surprised'?"

ĐV Malaysia buông xuôi sau khi nhận phán quyết từ FIFA 734058 — The door to the 2027 Asian Cup finals is about to wide open for Vietnam’s national team. (Photo: VFF)

After FIFA’s strict ruling, the future of Malaysian football looks bleak as FAM faces pressure and criticism from the fan community. This decision has many supporters worried that the national team will continue to decline, and even regional tournaments like the ASEAN Cup or upcoming SEA Games could become tough challenges. Can FAM regain the trust of fans, or will this ultimately give Vietnam’s national team a decisive advantage?