No ruling yet on Malaysia eligibility case in Asian Cup qualifiers with Vietnam: AFC

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, AFC secretary general Windsor John said the case differed from a similar eligibility scandal involving Timor-Leste national football team in 2017 because the alleged violations were discovered while the competition was still underway.

He said AFC disciplinary bodies were bound by the limits set out in the confederation’s regulations when determining penalties.

John said that in the Timor-Leste case the violations were uncovered only after the Asian Cup qualifying stage already ended, meaning sanctions were applied to future competitions rather than retroactively.

In Malaysia’s case, the issue emerged during the qualification process for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and the disciplinary committee was reviewing the facts before issuing a ruling.

Malaysia beat Vietnam 4-0 and Nepal 2-0 in third-round qualifiers last year.

Earlier this month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Malaysia had committed violations related to the use of naturalized players in those two games.

The AFC has neither confirmed reports circulating on social media that Malaysia could forfeit the two matches nor said when a final decision will be announced.