Losing 0-3 was not enough; Malaysia now faces even harsher sanctions from FIFA

Following the 0-3 forfeit loss and a steep fall in the FIFA standings, Malaysian football continues to face the threat of tougher sanctions because of a specific detail.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is placing all its hopes on an appeal submitted to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after FIFA’s penalties were upheld. However, according to sports legal experts, the possibility of a “game-changing” outcome is never completely guaranteed,

especially given FIFA’s continued control over key decisions. Previously, FAM confirmed that it officially filed an appeal document with CAS, challenging the sanctions imposed by FIFA on the organization and seven naturalized players of the Malaysian national team. This step was taken despite warnings that pursuing the case at CAS

Lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli cautioned about the possibility of Malaysian football facing increased penalties.

Sports and commercial lawyer Nik Erman Nik Roseli stated that it cannot be guaranteed that the punishment will automatically be increased if FAM loses the case at CAS. However, he emphasized a crucial point that is decisive in this entire legal matter. “But if FIFA also appeals against the sanction, the penalty might be intensified,”

The use of ineligible naturalized players has caused significant trouble for Malaysian football. On the other hand, the scenario would be entirely different if FIFA proactively files a cross-appeal. In that case, CAS has full authority to review the entire sanction and legally justify increasing the penalty,

rather than merely maintaining or reducing it as many mistakenly believe.

The case originated from a FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruling in September, when seven naturalized Malaysian players were suspended for 12 months due to allegations of forged documents. Each player was also fined, while FAM was required to pay a penalty of up to 350,000 CHF. Although the FIFA Appeals Committee previously rejected the appeal, FAM still decided to escalate the matter to CAS.

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