Malaysian lawyer bluntly states the likelihood of losing the case, Vietnam’s national team may be awarded the win

A Malaysian lawyer forecasts that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is unlikely to reverse the outcome at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), thereby increasing the chance that Vietnam’s national team will be ruled victorious.

The illegal naturalization scandal in Malaysian football is approaching its conclusion as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) prepares to hold a hearing for the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on February 26. According to Malaysian media, the final ruling is expected to be announced within this week, ending the controversy that has lasted for over six months.

Ahead of this crucial moment, sports lawyer Nik Roseli, who has closely followed the case from the start, has given a rather pessimistic assessment for FAM. He believes the chance for Malaysian football to “turn the tables” is very slim, especially given that many details remain unclear.

Previously, CAS issued a temporary ruling favorable to Malaysia by suspending the sanctions FIFA imposed on seven naturalized players. However, local media later confirmed that this decision was procedural and did not reflect the final essence of the case.

Regarding the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the organization revealed that FAM’s appeal mainly aims to reduce the suspension of the seven players rather than completely denying any wrongdoing. This indicates that Malaysia’s legal approach is not entirely solid.

According to Superball, lawyer Nik Roseli emphasized: “The core issue in this appeal is that FAM has yet to disclose who is behind everything. The absence of a responsible party creates ambiguity in court, which could pose difficulties for them.”. He added: “The scandal FAM is currently facing is a lack of accountability, as no one admits or takes responsibility for what has happened.”.

If CAS maintains the view that the seven players were naturalized illegally and played ineligible matches, Malaysia’s games using them could have their results reconsidered. During the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Malaysia fielded these players in two victories against Nepal and Vietnam. This scenario means Vietnam’s team could be awarded the wins, while Malaysian football faces severe losses both in points and reputation.