FIFA has handed Malaysia three 3-0 forfeits after ruling the national team fielded ineligible players, escalating a widening document forgery scandal that has already shaken the country’s football leadership and drawn the attention of criminal authorities across multiple nations.
The world governing body’s disciplinary committee overturned Malaysia’s results in three international friendlies – against Cape Verde, Singapore and Palestine – after determining that seven foreign-born players were improperly cleared to represent the country.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed the decision Wednesday, adding that the association has also been fined an additional 10,000 Swiss francs.
Malaysia had originally drawn 1-1 with Cape Verde on May 29, then claimed home victories over Singapore (2-1) on Sept. 4 and Palestine (1-0) on Sept. 8.
All three matches have now been recorded as 3-0 losses.
Because the games were Tier 1 friendlies, the ruling affects Malaysia’s FIFA ranking but does not alter standings in World Cup or Asian Cup qualifying.
The latest sanctions stem from FIFA’s broader investigation into Malaysia’s aggressive naturalisation program, which collapsed earlier this year amid findings of forged ancestry documents.
In September, FIFA suspended seven naturalised players for 12 months and fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs after concluding that falsified paperwork had been used to claim Malaysian lineage.
Those players – Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Figueiredo – were found to have no parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, a core requirement under FIFA’s eligibility rules. Several featured prominently in a 4-0 Asian Cup qualifying win over Vietnam in June, a match that triggered the initial complaint and investigation.
FIFA dismissed FAM’s appeal last month, describing the case as a serious breach of sporting integrity. It also announced a formal probe into FAM’s internal operations and said it had alerted authorities in Malaysia, Argentina, Brazil, Spain and the Netherlands over potential criminal offenses linked to document forgery.
In response to Wednesday’s ruling, FAM said it would request the written grounds of the disciplinary committee’s decision before determining its next legal steps, including a possible appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. FIFA did not immediately comment outside business hours.
The scandal has sparked public outrage in Malaysia, with fans and lawmakers demanding accountability from both football officials and government agencies involved in granting citizenship.
Last month, FAM suspended its secretary-general and formed an independent committee to investigate what it initially described as a “technical error.”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pledged full transparency in domestic investigations, while stressing that FAM must be given the right to defend itself.
