AFC awaits CAS ruling after FIFA rejects Malaysia appeal
FIFA rejects FAM appeal, AFC says it is only waiting for CAS ruling; Malaysia could be awarded a 0-3 loss, including the win over Vietnam in the upcoming 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
After the International Football Association (FIFA) rejected the appeal of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) regarding the use of naturalized players, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) affirmed that it could not intervene and would only act when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made a final decision. If FIFA's decision is upheld by CAS, Malaysia faces the risk of being awarded a 0-3 loss in matches involving the players involved, including the victory over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, which could change the situation in Group F.
AFC's stance: waiting for CAS's verdict
AFC General Secretary Windsor John made it clear that the AFC would not take any action before the CAS process was complete. “At this time, the AFC cannot do anything or interfere with FIFA’s rejection of FAM’s appeal. Any further action can only be taken after FAM has taken the case to CAS – a process that could take several months to complete,” he said.
That means all scenarios regarding penalties or adjustments to the results of related matches are temporarily frozen until a final decision is made.
Legal timeline: 10 days and 21 days
As per the rules, FAM has 10 days to request the full judgment in writing from FIFA after receiving the official notice. From the time of receiving this document, FAM has 21 days to file an appeal to CAS.
With the above timeframe, the earliest the case can be brought to CAS is early December. In the meantime, AFC maintains the status quo and closely monitors FAM's legal steps.
Focus of the case: the validity of naturalized players
The case stems from allegations that Malaysia used a group of naturalized players who FIFA found to have falsified their records. The potential legal consequences are huge: if CAS upholds FIFA’s ruling, Malaysia could be handed a 3-0 loss in every game in which these players played.
The list of affected matches, as of now, includes the win over Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This is a key point that could upset professional calculations and rankings in the group.
Impact on Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers
In real-life competition, a 0-3 loss decision not only directly affects the score but also the goal difference – which is often the difference between advancing and being eliminated. With Group F, any adjustments from CAS (if any) can change the race.
However, at this point, all scenarios are just hypothetical. AFC emphasized that it will respect the final decision from CAS and only then consider the next steps according to the correct procedure.
What's next for FAM and its stakeholders?
In terms of procedure, FAM must complete a request for a written decision from FIFA within 10 days, then prepare an appeal file to CAS within the next 21 days. While waiting for CAS to accept and review the case – a process that could take months – the parties involved will have to maintain a waiting status, with no official changes to the results or rankings.
The AFC statement makes the dispute framework clear: the resolution mechanism lies with CAS, and when the decision is issued, the AFC will be the unit to implement it according to its authority. Until then, all technical scenarios – including the risk of Malaysia being awarded a 0-3 loss and the impact on the match against Vietnam – still depend on the final legal decision.
