Here’s All About FIFA’s RM1.9 Million Fine Against FAM Over ‘Forged’ Player Documents

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Last week, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee announced that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had breached Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which deals with forgery and falsification

FAM was fined CHF350,000 (around RM1.9 million) for submitting doctored documents in relation to the eligibility of seven naturalised players.

Each player was also fined CHF2,000 (about RM11,000) and banned from all football-related activities for 12 months, effective immediately.

The sanctions may have immediate competitive consequences.

Malaysia may be stripped of its two recent Asian Cup qualifying victories, which could be overturned to 3–0 defeats pending the outcome of FIFA's Football Tribunal review.

What happened?

It all started after Malaysia's 4–0 win against Vietnam.

The case dates back to 10 June 2025, when Malaysia defeated Vietnam in a crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifier, according to the New Straits Times.

All seven sanctioned players featured in that match, after which a complaint over their eligibility led FIFA to open disciplinary proceedings.

Who are the seven players involved?

The seven players are part of Malaysia's "heritage player" or naturalisation programme, launched in 2018 to boost the national squad.

• Facundo Tomás Garcés (Argentina): 26-year-old centre-back, first naturalised Malaysian to play in La Liga. Granted citizenship 2 June.
• Gabriel Felipe Arrocha (Spain): 23, also known as Gabriel Palmero. Granted citizenship in March.
• Rodrigo Julián Holgado (Argentina): 29, forward, granted citizenship 4 June through a claimed Malaysian-born grandmother.
• Imanol Javier Machuca (Argentina): Winger, claims maternal lineage from Sabah.
• João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo (Brazil): Forward, claims heritage from Negeri Sembilan.
• Jon Irazábal Iraurgui (Spain): Defender with maternal roots in Sabah.
• Héctor Alejandro Hevel Serrano (Spain): Heritage details not widely disclosed.

Meanwhile, the heritage-player programme — once celebrated as a breakthrough — now sits at the centre of Malaysia's biggest football controversy in years.

The programme has been contentious from its inception, marked by policy reversals, official warnings, and escalating scrutiny. While initially endorsed by the government in 2018, the project was soon paused at the national level due to concerns over its impact and national sentiment.

The controversy reached its peak in mid-2025 when a new batch of heritage players was fast-tracked for clearance just before the key match against Vietnam.

What has FAM said?

FAM has said it will appeal FIFA's ruling, arguing that the players' naturalisations were legitimate and had previously been cleared by FIFA before the matches.

FAM acting president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said the association will use all legal channels to challenge the decision.

"FIFA had previously reviewed the eligibility of the players concerned and gave official confirmation that they were allowed to represent Malaysia.

"Therefore, FAM will file an appeal against this decision and utilise all available legal channels and procedures to safeguard the interests of the players and the national team," he said.

The association is also pinning the blame on a staff member.

FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman claimed that FIFA had flagged a "technical error" in the document submission process, which was carried out by administrative staff.

"FAM take this matter seriously," he said, insisting that the heritage players involved are "legitimate Malaysian citizens".

In a separate statement, Noor Azman said the mistake was made by staff during the uploading and submission of the eligibility documents, which he implied had led to the discrepancies that triggered FIFA's disciplinary action.

Meanwhile, the National Registration Department (JPN) has issued a statement, backing the citizenship claims of the seven players

JPN has defended the citizenship status of the players, stressing that all due process was followed under Article 19 of the Federal Constitution, which allows citizenship to be granted under special circumstances.

In a formal witness statement, JPN Director General Badrul Hisham Bin Alias said the department conducted cross-verification between foreign and Malaysian records to establish the players' lineage through their grandparents.

He explained that while the original handwritten birth records could not be located in historical archives, JPN issued official copies "based on the evidence adduced that a birth had occurred".

"This comparative assessment of foreign and domestic records was a standard measure undertaken to ensure accuracy and integrity in determining eligibility," he said.

"Through this process, JPN was unable to retrieve the original handwritten birth record from the historical archives. Accordingly, in line with current administrative practice, JPN issued an official copy based on the evidence adduced that a birth had occurred," he added.

"I affirm that all due diligence and lawful procedures were observed during this process, and that the issuance of these citizenship certificates was carried out in full compliance with the legal and constitutional requirements of Malaysia."

FAM has 10 days to request a detailed decision from FIFA's Disciplinary Committee, after which it can appeal to the FIFA Appeal Committee

The association has said it will work with government agencies and stakeholders to prepare its case.

According to The Star, FAM honorary president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin, who is also a FIFA Council member, is expected to travel to FIFA's headquarters in Zurich to pursue the appeal.