The stakes go far beyond the players themselves. The outcome will determine whether Malaysia walks away vindicated, or emerges heavily punished, with lasting consequences for its Asian Cup hopes, its naturalization policy and the integrity of its recent World Cup qualifying matches.
Legal experts warn the odds are steep. Between 2020 and 2024, only about 13% of FIFA cases brought before CAS ended in a ruling that favored the plaintiff, and none involved a national team accused of fielding ineligible players.
Malaysian legal counsel has publicly acknowledged that the cost of the case is enormous, running into the tens of thousands of dollars, and the chances of a full victory “very low.”
Still, a win, however unlikely, would be seismic. CAS has the authority to fully overturn FIFA’s punishment, reduce the ban durations, or, less likely, send the case back to FIFA for another review. A complete reversal would immediately lift all sanctions, restore the seven players’ eligibility, cancel Malaysia’s financial penalties and potentially strengthen FAM’s case for continuing to naturalize players with partial Malaysian heritage.
A partial victory is also possible, such as reducing the bans from 12 months to six.
But even in that scenario, FIFA’s finding that Malaysia fielded ineligible players would stand, and under AFC regulations, that alone typically triggers automatic 0–3 forfeits.
That is where the biggest regional shockwaves could land. Malaysia risks being handed defeats for key matches against Vietnam on June 10, 2025, and Nepal on March 25, 2025 at the Asian Cup qualifiers. If those results are overturned, Vietnam, coached by Kim Sang-sik, would suddenly become one of the biggest beneficiaries. In several outcomes, Vietnam’s place in the 2027 Asian Cup finals becomes virtually guaranteed; in others, Vietnam’s qualifying prospects brighten considerably heading into the final matchday against Malaysia on March 31, 2026.
History also suggests the story rarely ends with CAS. Timor-Leste, after being found to have fielded ineligible naturalized players, was expelled from two entire Asian Cup cycles. Equatorial Guinea, sanctioned in a similar case in Africa, suffered multiple 0–3 forfeits, saw a player banned for six months and paid a 150,000-franc fine. These precedents loom over Malaysia, adding pressure as AFC evaluates whether to impose its own sanctions once CAS rules.
For now, Malaysian football stands at a crossroads: pursue a costly legal fight with slim odds, or accept one of the harshest punishments ever imposed on the federation.
The ruling will determine not only the fate of seven players: Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel, but the trajectory of Malaysia’s national team and the competitive balance of Asian football heading into a packed qualifying calendar.
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