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The Malaysian national football team's hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup have been extinguished following the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) decision to overturn two qualifying victories into 0-3 forfeits
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced it had received the ruling from the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, which convened earlier today, 17 March. The meeting was chaired by the committee's chairman, Jahangir Baglari.
The committee found that FAM had violated Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code by fielding ineligible players in the following two matches:
- Malaysia vs. Nepal (25 March 2025): At Stadium Sultan Ibrahim, Iskandar Puteri, Johor; originally a 2-0 win for Malaysia.
- Malaysia vs. Vietnam (10 June 2025): At Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil; originally a 4-0 win for Malaysia.
Consequently, the committee declared Malaysia to have forfeited both matches, with a 3-0 scoreline awarded to the opponents in accordance with Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.
This decision effectively strips Malaysia of six points from the qualifying campaign, leaving the team's chances of reaching the 2027 Asian Cup all but evaporated
In addition to the match forfeits, FAM has been fined USD50,000 (RM196,200) for the breach.
In its statement, FAM stated that it will submit a formal request for the committee's full reasoning before deciding on any further action.
The ruling is expected to deliver a significant setback to Malaysian football, coming at a time when efforts to rebuild the national team's reputation on the international stage are underway.
