CAS had initially scheduled the announcement of its verdict for the morning of Feb. 27. However, the arbitration panel stated that it required more time to carefully consider the evidence, pushing the expected announcement to next week.
“Following today’s hearing the Panel will take time to deliberate. I am unable to give you a precise timeframe for a decision, but an operative decision (without grounds) is expected next week. Given the high-profile nature of this case, a press release will be issued. I can let you know once this has been published,” said Vanessa Tracey, a media representative for CAS, as quoted by New Straits Times.
Due to the high-profile nature of the case, CAS confirmed that a press release will be issued immediately upon reaching a conclusion. A full written explanation will then be prepared and delivered to the relevant parties once the final decision is formalized.
The controversy centers on seven Malaysian naturalized players: Joao Figueiredo (of Brazilian origin), Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces (Argentina), Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero (Spain), and Hector Hevel (Netherlands).
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee previously determined that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) submitted falsified or invalid civil registration documents for these players, constituting a severe violation of international football regulations.
Consequently, FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs (US$452,750). Each involved player was banned from all football activities for 12 months and fined 2,000 francs.
FAM subsequently filed an appeal with CAS and is awaiting the final verdict.
As a result of using ineligible players, FIFA has already penalized Malaysia with 0-3 forfeit defeats in friendly matches against Cape Verde, Singapore, and Palestine, as these fixtures fall directly under FIFA’s jurisdiction.
However, the results of Malaysia’s 2-0 victory over Nepal and 4-0 win against Vietnam in 2025 during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers have yet to be changed. These matches fall under the jurisdiction of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the continental body has maintained its stance of awaiting the final CAS verdict before imposing its own sanctions.
The AFC confirmed it is closely monitoring the situation and will officially address the matter before the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers conclude at the end of March. This pending decision directly impacts the crucial match between Vietnam and Malaysia, scheduled for March 31 at Thien Truong Stadium in northern Vietnam’s Ninh Binh Province.
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