Hot: FIFA issues announcement, extinguishing Malaysia’s hope to win the lawsuit

FIFA’s annual report on the absolute success rate of appeals at CAS has dashed the final hopes of Malaysian football, opening the door for Vietnam’s national team to advance directly to the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

Ahead of the crucial hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on February 26, FIFA unexpectedly released its 2025 statistical report containing significant figures. According to the report, out of 73 CAS rulings related to FIFA, 81% of FIFA’s decisions were upheld. Only a mere 8% of appeals were partially accepted or sent back for further review.

The report states: “Among the 73 substantive rulings in cases involving FIFA, 59 cases (accounting for 81%) upheld FIFA’s decisions, fully or partially rejecting the appeals.”.

Additionally, “8 cases (11%) annulled the appeal decision or referred the matter back to the relevant FIFA body, while 6 rulings (8%) declared the appeals inadmissible.”.

This statistic is a cold shower to the ambitions of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). With nearly a 90% failure rate for entities appealing against FIFA, experts believe Malaysia’s chance to overturn the “illegal naturalization” ruling is almost nonexistent.

FIFA has presented strong evidence proving that 7 Malaysian players of foreign origin have no family roots in the country, resulting in forged documents to play illegally.

An important detail is that instead of completely denying the fraud, FAM is focusing solely on seeking reduced penalties for the 7 players —whom Malaysia calls “victims” of document forgery. According to local media, FAM no longer requests CAS to annul the entire verdict but only hopes to reduce fines and the 12-month ban for the individuals involved.

This move implies that FAM has indirectly admitted to the fraudulent use of improperly naturalized players. CAS’s temporary suspension of the ban allowing these players back on the field was only a provisional legal measure. Their fate and that of Malaysian football will be officially decided on February 26.

If CAS upholds FIFA’s ruling (which is almost certain based on the statistics), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will immediately intervene. According to disciplinary rules, using ineligible players results in a 0-3 forfeit loss in all related matches.

Malaysia’s two wins against Nepal (2-0) and especially Vietnam (4-0) will be annulled. Consequently, Vietnam will gain 3 points and significantly improve their goal difference. This scenario guarantees Vietnam’s team will finish first in Group F and secure the sole direct qualification spot for the 2027 Asian Cup, regardless of the final match outcomes.

The fairness of FIFA and CAS is not only a costly lesson against cheating but also a “delayed justice” restoring rightful status to Vietnamese football on the continental stage.