‘Time to punish Malaysian football’: Southeast Asian fans react to court ruling on naturalized players scandal

On March 5, CAS confirmed the falsification of eligibility documents for the naturalized players. In a slight modification of the initial FIFA penalty, this suspension applies strictly to official matches, allowing the athletes to continue training with their clubs during the 12-month ban.

CAS also upheld the majority of FIFA’s sanctions against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). The national governing body must pay a hefty fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (US$448,000), while each implicated player still faces an individual fine of 2,000 Swiss francs.

Immediately following the CAS announcement, football fans across Southeast Asia took to various online forums to voice their opinions – a mix of frustration and calls for immediate justice.

Many supporters urged the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to act immediately now that both FIFA and CAS have issued their rulings.

“FIFA and CAS have both issued their rulings. Now it’s time for the AFC to punish Malaysian football,” one fan wrote.

“AFC must quickly issue a penalty for Malaysia,” another commented.

The seven ineligible players were also a major talking point on social media.

One fan remarked: “The future of these players is practically over.”

Another wrote: “They should have retired instead.”

Prior to this ruling, the regional football community had expressed frustration over the scandal. Many felt the CAS process was unusually drawn out, leaving the public waiting in suspense for months.

Following the CAS ruling, AFC has swiftly responded, confirming it has formally noted the court’s decision regarding the violations by FAM and the players. In an official statement, the AFC announced that the matter will be referred to its Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, strongly signaling that penalties for Malaysia are imminent.

This controversy began on Sept. 26, 2025, when the FIFA Disciplinary Committee determined that Malaysia had submitted forged or invalid naturalization documents. This severe violation of international football regulations involved seven foreign-born players: Joao Figueiredo of Brazilian origin, Hector Hevel (Netherlands), Jon Irazabal and Gabriel Palmero (Spain), along with Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Facundo Garces (Argentine).

The CAS ruling heavily implies that the AFC will penalize Malaysia with 0-3 forfeit defeats for the matches in which the ineligible players participated. Such a penalty would instantly strip Malaysia of their top spot in Group F and end their 2027 Asian Cup campaign. Currently, Malaysia lead the group with 15 points, maintaining a three-point advantage over Vietnam.

Furthermore, the highly anticipated Group F match between Vietnam and Malaysia, scheduled for March 31, faces potential cancellation if the AFC decides to immediately disqualify Malaysia from the tournament.