Malaysia is at risk of losing the top spot due to fake documents.

Malaysia is facing a decisive verdict from the FIFA Appeals Committee (FAC) on the evening of October 30, regarding the case of falsifying the records of 7 naturalized players. If the initial verdict of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee (FDC) is upheld, the consequences could cause the "Malayan Tigers" to lose 6 points, fall out of the top position in Group F in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup and face a deep reputational crisis.

Possible penalty: 1-year ban and financial fine

Under the worst-case scenario if the appeal fails, Malaysia would have to accept:

• One-year ban on seven naturalized players involved in document forgery.
• A fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (about 11.5 billion VND) for FAM.

Losing a group of key players at the same time will be a direct blow to the team's strength, affecting its competitiveness in the upcoming campaigns. In terms of management, the financial fine highlights the loopholes in FAM's records and process control.

Risk of losing 0-3 and the resulting score in Group F

The biggest sticking point is the AFC’s ability to intervene after the FIFA ruling. Using an ineligible player could result in a 0-3 loss in matches they played in. For Malaysia, the risk is aimed at two important wins against Nepal and especially the 4-0 win over Vietnam in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

If this scenario happens, Malaysia could lose 6 points. From the top position in Group F, they will be at a clear disadvantage and face the risk of being eliminated from the tournament. This is not only a long technical decline but also a blow to the development path over the past years.

Eroded reputation: a wake-up call for the system

The incident was described by the Malaysian press as a "shameful scandal", seriously damaging confidence in the integrity of the management system. The falsification of documents to legalize players goes against the spirit of sportsmanship, damaging the image of Malaysian football in the eyes of the public and the international community.

The consequences go beyond mere discipline: it exposes gaps in its verification processes and monitoring mechanisms. In the long term, it is a pressure for FAM to rethink its strategy, especially its naturalization policy, to balance performance ambitions with governance standards.

Appeals and responses

FAM argued that this was an “administrative error” and pursued an appeal, but this raised doubts from experts and fans. Expert Datuk Pekan Ramli stressed that FAM needs to face reality and show remorse, instead of prolonging the case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) without solid evidence.

The Destination of the Judgment and What Needs to Change

Whatever the FAC’s decision, the incident has become a wake-up call. To move forward with integrity, Malaysia needs a fundamental overhaul: tightening up its application review process, upgrading its internal controls, and ensuring that all human resource policies – including naturalization – put transparency first. Sustainable success cannot be built on procedural irregularities.