FIFA can still sanction Malaysia regardless of international court ruling
FIFA and AFC maintain authority to temporarily dissolve FAM leadership and establish a committee to overhaul the federation’s governance
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) – The world football governing body FIFA can take over the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), to restore integrity following a major fraud scandal involving seven naturalized players.
The reputation of the FAM remains at stake as the organization used its final legal avenue, hoping to turn the case around. Despite an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), reports indicate that FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are closely monitoring FAM.
FIFA and AFC maintain the authority to temporarily dissolve the current FAM leadership and establish a committee to overhaul the federation’s governance, regardless of the CAS outcome, Malaysian channel Astro Arena reported.
The channel contacted AFC Secretary General Windsor Paul John, who highlighted that such interventions have historical precedents in nations like Indonesia, Kuwait and Brunei.
The contemporary committee will be responsible for identifying governance shortcomings and proposing corrective measures, after which FAM could elect a new leadership.
FIFA imposed a ban on Indonesian football in June 2015, following a prolonged dispute between the government and the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) over which teams were eligible to compete in the national league. The Indonesian government suspended PSSI’s operations.
Third-party interference prevented Indonesian football from participating in the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers. It was not until May 13, 2016, that FIFA lifted the ban and restored PSSI’s membership.
The case of Malaysia is similar. The AFC secretary general stated that all national teams, from U12 upwards, and clubs would be unable to compete outside Malaysia, while domestic leagues would remain in operation. “This is a situation that no nation wants to happen,” Windsor said.
The second scenario involves the proactive resignation of the FAM leadership. This would allow for the formation of a temporary committee tasked with improving shortcomings based on findings from the Independent Investigation Committee (IIC) and FIFA’s disciplinary reports. FAM has the right to invite the AFC to conduct an investigation.
Another option is for FAM leadership to agree with the appointment of a new group, provided they are not affiliated with the association, before a mass resignation. However, both approaches require the presence of a secretary general, with professional support from FIFA and AFC, to clean up FAM’s image.
The scandal originated in September 2025 when FIFA determined that FAM used forged naturalization documents for seven players: Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel. These players featured in Malaysia’s two wins in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
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