FAM faces record-breaking fines in 2025

Malaysian football is experiencing its worst disciplinary crisis in history, as the total fines for 2025 have exceeded 2.4 million Malaysian ringgit (almost 16 billion VND), caused by a series of issues such as administrative misconduct, forged documents, and supporter violence.

These penalties were imposed by FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), and the Malaysian Football League (MFL), according to NST. This represents the highest annual fine ever recorded in the country’s football history, showing a sharp increase compared to previous years. Specifically, fines in 2023 amounted to about 66,000 RM, rising to 186,000 RM in 2024, before surging dramatically in 2025.

The most significant loss stems from a scandal involving the eligibility status of naturalized players. FIFA fined FAM 350,000 Swiss francs (approximately 1.9 million RM) for submitting falsified documents. Seven national team players—Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Imanol Machuca, and Rodrigo Holgado—were each fined 2,000 Swiss francs (around 11,000 RM) and suspended for 12 months.

Beyond FIFA’s sanctions, disciplinary actions from the AFC have cost Malaysian football an additional 325,000 RM. These violations mainly relate to match organization conditions, inappropriate conduct by players and officials, and failure to comply with scheduled match times. These fines were applied to Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), Selangor, FAM, the coach of Kelana United, along with several players.

Domestically, issues with event organization and crowd control continue to surface. Selangor was fined 60,000 RM for failing to attend the 2024 Malaysia Super Cup match. Previously, JDT was fined 30,000 RM and Selangor 23,000 RM due to misconduct by fans and officials. In 2025, Selangor faced a 100,000 RM fine and was required to play two home FA Cup matches behind closed doors following incidents of violence in the stands.

Regarding this situation, former national team player and coach Jamal Nasir stated that the penalties clearly highlight ongoing governance problems. He emphasized that Malaysian football urgently needs a comprehensive reform, from the federation to clubs, along with enhanced accountability.

According to Jamal Nasir, the consequences of this crisis go beyond financial losses, directly impacting team performance, players’ careers, and Malaysia’s football reputation internationally, which in turn risks diminishing sponsor confidence.