Vietnam national football team can win 3-0 against Malaysia, close to top 100
FIFA rejected the appeal of FAM and 7 naturalized players; according to AFC regulations, Malaysia almost lost 0-3 to Nepal and Vietnam. Vietnam can add 25 points to 1208.62, reaching 104th place.
On the evening of November 3, the FIFA Appeals Committee rejected all appeals from the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven naturalized players related to the disciplinary decision previously issued by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. According to the AFC's disciplinary regulations, Malaysia was almost certain to lose 0-3 in the matches against Nepal and Vietnam for using ineligible players. This scenario opens up a great opportunity for the Vietnam team to win 3-0 against Malaysia and significantly improve their score on the FIFA rankings.
Why Vietnam can get 25 FIFA points
According to Football Ranking's calculations, if Vietnam wins 3-0 against Malaysia, the Vietnamese team will receive two points: 13.02 points deducted for losing 0-4 will be returned and 11.98 points added thanks to the 3-0 win according to the decision to lose. In total, Vietnam can be awarded about 25 points in the FIFA rankings.
Expected scores and rankings
- Current: 1183.62 points, world rank 111.
- Potential bonus points: 13.02 + 11.98 ≈ 25 points.
- New total: 1208.62 points, expected to rise to 104th in the world.
This is a significant boost for the goal of returning to the top 100. According to calculations, the opportunity will be clearer if Vietnam continues to win against Laos (November) and Malaysia (March 2026) in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
Impact on the journey to the 2027 Asian Cup finals
If Malaysia is awarded a 3-0 win, the door to the 2027 Asian Cup finals will be wider open for Vietnam, both thanks to improved FIFA scores and because the group stage could change when Malaysia is awarded a loss in related matches.
Malaysia faces risk of falling further in FIFA rankings
Sources said that Malaysia used 7 naturalized players who were penalized in the wins against Nepal (2-0), Vietnam (4-0), Singapore (2-1), Palestine (1-0). If they are punished to lose all 4 matches and add the penalty points, Malaysia could lose up to 70 points in the FIFA rankings. This is a level that greatly affects Malaysia's position in the region and continent.
Decision-making process and timeline
The final decision on the loss and adjustment of the results will be considered by the AFC – the organizer of the Asian Cup – after FAM has completed all relevant legal procedures. This process is expected to last no longer than March 31, 2026, the end of the final qualifying round, to ensure that all teams qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup finals are determined.
Key statistics
- Malaysia's expected loss result (according to AFC regulations): 0-3 against Nepal and Vietnam.
- Vietnam: +13.02 points returned for a 0-4 loss; +11.98 points for a 3-0 win; about +25 points in total.
- Vietnam ranking: from 111 (1183.62 points) can go up to 104 (1208.62 points).
- Malaysia: risk being deducted up to 70 points if losing all 4 matches above and being punished.
- Timeline: AFC expects to complete no later than March 31, 2026.
The legal framework is clear; the rest is up to the AFC process. For Vietnam, this is an opportunity to turn their advantage on paper into a breakthrough on the field, with the first matches against Laos (November) and Malaysia (March 2026) in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.