Not just one, Malaysia could face a ban from competition lasting up to 10 years

Following FIFA's decision to maintain the penalties on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players, the country's national team may have to say goodbye to the Asian Cup for several upcoming editions.

The Southeast Asian football community was shaken when FIFA's Appeal Committee confirmed the sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven Malaysian players due to violations of Article 22 in FIFA's Disciplinary Code, related to forgery and fraudulent documentation. This ruling puts Malaysia’s national team at risk of being banned from the 2027 Asian Cup, and possibly absent from the 2031 tournament as well.

The individuals named in this case include Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano. These players are accused of using invalid documents connected to their naturalization process, breaching FIFA’s regulations on document authenticity.

Astro Arena reporter Zulhelmi Zainal Azam commented: "Regarding the Asian Cup, Malaysia might not only miss the 2027 edition in Saudi Arabia but also risk exclusion from the 2031 tournament if banned from the qualifiers, similar to Timor Leste’s situation." If this scenario becomes reality, Malaysia’s national team may only return to Asia’s premier football stage in 2035.

Malaysia’s case recalls the incident with Timor Leste, which was banned from the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers due to nine naturalized players lacking valid documentation. After the discovery, the country’s results from 29 matches were annulled, and the Secretary General of the Timor Leste Football Federation was suspended from football activities for three years.

In response, FAM confirmed it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The organization stated: "FAM will send a letter requesting FIFA to provide full details and a written explanation before proceeding with the appeal. This is the first time FAM faces such a situation, and both the leadership and legal team are very surprised. Nonetheless, FAM remains committed to defending the rights of the players and the interests of Malaysian football internationally."

If Malaysia is indeed banned from the 2027 and 2031 Asian Cups, will the nation’s football have to wait until 2035 to return to the continent’s biggest stage?

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