Kamal Ghorui
Malaysia’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup ended after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) awarded 3-0 forfeits in two matches for fielding ineligible players, a decision that confirmed Vietnam’s progress from Group F.The AFC said the action was taken after Malaysia used players who were not eligible during the final round of qualifiers. “The defendant fielded ineligible players in the relevant AFC Asian Cup 2027, (Qualifiers Final Round) matches,” the AFC said in a statement. The Kuala Lumpur-based body also fined the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) $50,000.With the forfeits applied, Vietnam now holds a six-point lead at the top of the group, making it impossible for Malaysia to catch up. The final group match between Vietnam and Malaysia on March 31 will no longer affect qualification.“Although the match no longer holds decisive significance for the final group standings, it is still expected to be a noteworthy contest,” Vietnam’s football federation said.The development follows an investigation by FIFA into Malaysia’s use of foreign-born players. The probe focused on a 4-0 win over Vietnam in June and a 2-0 victory against Nepal in March last year. Both results have now been overturned.FIFA found that the players had obtained naturalisation through forged documents and did not have Malaysian parentage or ancestry. According to the governing body, three players were originally from Argentina, two from Spain, one from the Netherlands and one from Brazil.The players involved are Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Brandao Figueiredo.In its findings, FIFA’s appeals committee said the offence “strikes at the very foundation of football’s integrity”. It held both the players and FAM responsible, stating that the seven players “negligently used and benefitted from the forged documents” while FAM’s “inability to establish accountability reflects systemic governance deficiencies and a lack of genuine commitment”.
