Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers: The Looming Threat of Points Deduction for Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The FIFA Appeal Committee's decision to uphold the sanctions against FAM and the seven players has created an immediate and severe risk to Malaysia's current, impressive standing in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers.
While FIFA confirmed the fines and player suspensions, the critical question of point deduction, which determines the future of the national team in the competition, now falls to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Threat of Forfeited Matches (Losing Points)
The major concern for the Malaysian national team (Harimau Malaya) is the potential for results to be overturned in matches where the seven ineligible players featured.
The Key Precedent: According to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, fielding an ineligible player in a match is a serious breach that typically results in a 0-3 forfeiture loss for the offending team.
The Affected Matches: Media reports and investigations suggest that the seven players in question participated in crucial qualifying matches, most notably the victories against:
Nepal (2-0 win in March)
Vietnam (4-0 win in June)
If the AFC officially applies the 0-3 forfeiture rule to these matches, Malaysia would lose 6 points from their current tally.
The Future of the Asian Cup Qualifier Campaign
The future of Malaysia's qualification path is now dependent on two major factors:
1. The AFC Disciplinary Review
AFC's Stance: AFC Secretary General Datuk Seri Windsor John has confirmed that the AFC will await the final, definitive ruling from either the FIFA Appeal Committee (which has now happened) or, crucially, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), before initiating its own disciplinary review.
Timeline Pressure: The AFC needs the final result before the draw for the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place shortly after the final qualifying matches on March 31, 2026. This tight deadline adds immense pressure on all parties.
2. The CAS Appeal
FAM has 21 days to escalate the case to CAS. If they proceed, the legal battle could be prolonged by several months, pushing the final verdict closer to the AFC's deadline.
Without a CAS appeal, the FIFA ruling will stand, and the AFC will proceed with its review of match eligibility breaches, which is highly likely to result in the forfeiture of points.
While Malaysia technically remains in the competition and can continue to play their remaining matches, the dismissal of the FAM appeal means the threat of losing the points from the victories against Nepal and Vietnam is now very real. This would dramatically derail their campaign and severely reduce their chances of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup.