Malaysia acknowledges technical error in player documents submitted to FIFA

"We have identified a technical error in the process of submitting documents carried out by our administrative staff. FAM takes this matter seriously," Rahman said in a statement on Sunday, as quoted by Scoop.

"However, we would like to emphasize that the heritage players involved are legitimate Malaysian citizens," he added.

Rahman did not disclose the specific error.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail emphasized that citizenship decisions follow the Federal Constitution and strict verification procedures, including document checks, interviews, biometrics, and in-person verification.

"The key requirement is the applicant's presence in Malaysia, not merely applying from abroad," he said, as quoted by New Straits Times.

Malaysia's four foreign-born players, Joao Figueireido (number 14), Rodrigo Holgado (19), Jon Irazabal (5) and Hector Hevel (13) in the 4-0 win over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup on June 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Hai Tu

FAM faces heavy sanctions on Sept. 26 after FIFA fined the association 350,000 Swiss francs ($438,700) for falsifying records and misrepresenting information regarding seven naturalized players. The sanctioned players, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal (Spain), Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca (Argentina), Joao Figueireido (Brazil) and Hector Hevel (Netherlands), were banned from football activities for 12 months and fined 2,000 Swiss francs each.

All seven played in Malaysia’s 4-0 victory over Vietnam on June 10 at Bukit Jalil Stadium in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Under the AFC regulations, Malaysia could be punished with a 0-3 defeat to Vietnam. If violations are deemed systematic, additional penalties, including potential disqualification from the 2027 Asian Cup, could apply.

"FAM is waiting for the full judgment from FIFA before submitting an appeal in accordance with existing legal processes and procedures," Rahman said.

The AFC is also awaiting FIFA’s final ruling on the eligibility of the players. AFC general secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John told The Star that the federation is closely monitoring the case.

"This is like any judicial process. There is a disciplinary committee, then an appeal committee. If you are not happy, you can go to CAS. Until all this is exercised, nothing is final. We just have to wait. FAM has since said they will appeal. So we expect the bodies responsible to make a decision quickly as we do not want delays because the Asian Cup qualifiers are coming," he said.

Given FIFA's confirmed evidence, Malaysia's chances of overturning the sanctions are slim. A final decision could take weeks or months, but the AFC is likely to act early to avoid disruptions to the match schedule.

Currently, Malaysia lead Group F with six points after two matches, while Vietnam and Laos each have 3 points, and Nepal sit at the bottom. The qualifying round follows a round-robin format with two legs, with only group winners advancing to the finals.

Malaysia’s upcoming fixtures include matches against Laos on Oct. 9 and 14, followed by the second leg away to Vietnam in March 2026.