PETALING JAYA: The Asian Cup dream is over for Malaysia after paying the price for fielding players who were not eligible to represent the country.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) disciplinary and ethics committee ruled yesterday that Malaysia fielded ineligible players in two matches last year, in breach of Article 56 of their disciplinary and ethics code.
Malaysia’s 2-0 win over Nepal on March 25 at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, and the 4-0 victory over Vietnam on June 10 at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil have now been recorded as 0-3 defeats under Article 25.1.
With the latest verdict, Malaysia, who won all their matches so far in Group F, have dropped to the second spot with nine points, virtually out of the 2027 Asian Cup contention.
Vietnam are now at the top with 15 points and even if Malaysia beat them in the final group game in Nam Dinh on March 31, they would still be three points behind the Golden Dragons.
In addition, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have also been fined US$50,000 (RM196,119) for the offence which has to be paid within 30 days.
The decision, however, has raised questions over inconsistency in AFC’s decision, who deemed the same players being eligible in domestic competitions.
Last week, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) confirmed that the registration of four heritage players – Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel, as well as Kuching City’s Gabriel Palmero – complied with 2025–2026 competition regulations.
The AFC said both clubs had met registration requirements, stressing that the national team eligibility sanctions do not extend to club football although the players were still subject to a 12-month ban from official matches.
These mixed-heritage players had played during several local matches but those results were not overturned.
It is learnt that some are questioning on why the sanctions had applied only at international level.
“It is inconsistent because these players are eligible as Malaysians in club competitions but not for the national team.
“It has to be across the board,” said a source.
FAM said they would request the written grounds of the decision before determining their next course of action.
The verdict has certainly sparked frustration within the national camp.
The Asean Football Federation (AFF) have yet to rule on the eligibility of the three JDT players who featured in the Shopee Asean Club Championship.
Figueiredo, Irazabal, Hevel, Palmero, along with Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado and Imanol Machuca, were previously sanctioned for falsifying eligibility documents.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) later partially upheld their appeal, allowing them to train and participate in football-related activities, but barring them from official matches.
FAM secretary-general Datuk Noor Azman Rahman was unavailable for comment, while national team officials are expected to issue a statement after internal discussions today.
