FIFA rejects the Malaysian Football Association’s appeal over the forged documents scandal

FIFA on Monday rejected appeals from the Malaysian Football Federation and seven foreign-born players who were banned for using fake documents to claim eligibility for the country’s national team.

The ruling was expected but paves the way for Malaysian officials to take the case to the top sports court.

FIFA said its appeal body had upheld a 350,000 Swiss franc fine for the federation and a one-year football ban for the seven players. The players came from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands and Spain, but were naturalized in an apparent breach of FIFA rules and played in a qualifying match for the 2027 Asian Cup, which Malaysia won 4-0 against Vietnam in June.

The Malaysian federation has a month to decide whether to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA said.

It is the latest case of false registrations in international football, often involving players from Brazil.

READ ALSO: Malaysian players banned after using forged documents to play Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam

Federation officials had claimed that all seven players had a grandparent born in Malaysia, making them eligible to represent the country under FIFA rules. However, FIFA has said its own investigators found conflicting information after they were «able to obtain the relevant original documents» from the players’ countries of origin.

The Malaysian federation has suspended its secretary-general, Noor Azman Rahman, and said it is conducting its own investigation.

The embarrassment for the Malaysian Football Federation comes while its former president, Hamidin bin Haji Mohd Amin, sits on the 37-member FIFA council.

Published on November 3, 2025