OFFICIAL: Malaysia has filed an appeal, refusing to accept defeat against Vietnam

08/12/2025 12:11:00 VictoryVox

The Football Association of Malaysia will officially lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA’s disciplinary decision.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed it has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding FIFA’s sanctions imposed on the national football governing body and seven players with illegal naturalization.

In a statement today, acting president of FAM - Datuk Yusoff Mahadi said the association’s legal team was granted a 10-day extension to prepare and submit all written arguments, with the deadline set for December 18th.

Mr. Yusoff stated: "FAM is committed to handling this process professionally and transparently, respecting all established legal procedures." "Further developments will be announced soon."

CHÍNH THỨC: Malaysia đã kháng cáo, quyết không bị xử thua Việt Nam 755758 — FAM appeals FIFA’s sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

This move is the latest development in a long-running saga that has overshadowed Malaysian football since FIFA uncovered irregularities in the registration documents of seven naturalized players including Joao Figueiredo, Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel – used for international duties.

The penalties are severe. FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs, while each player received a 12-month ban and a 2,000 Swiss franc fine. FAM’s previous appeal to FIFA was rejected, making CAS the final avenue.

CHÍNH THỨC: Malaysia đã kháng cáo, quyết không bị xử thua Việt Nam 755756 — Vietnam’s national team still awaits CAS and AFC rulings

FAM’s statement also clarified information following last week’s report that a CAS spokesperson said no appeal had been received from Malaysia, causing public criticism and confusion over whether the association had taken any action.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) must still await the final decisions from FIFA and CAS before imposing official sanctions on Malaysia’s national team for fielding these naturalized players during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Vietnam’s team will have to wait a long time to know if they will be awarded a 3-0 win for their 0-4 loss to Malaysia in June 2025. If granted, Vietnam would officially qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

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