Southeast Asian fans collectively demand AFC to promptly forfeit Malaysia

The press conference held by the Football Association of Malaysia failed to ease tensions, as a wave of Southeast Asian supporters simultaneously voiced their demands, urging AFC to quickly issue a ruling to safeguard fairness in regional football.

At noon on December 22, the Football Association of Malaysia held a press conference to announce decisions related to the controversial case of seven naturalized players, amid a backdrop of unprecedentedly low trust from fans towards Malaysian football. FAM confirmed it has received a report from the Independent Investigation Committee, which highlighted serious violations concerning the nationality granting process and signs of forged player documents.

According to the official announcement, FAM will file a police report, continue to suspend Secretary General Datuk Noor Azman Rahman, and transfer the case to the Disciplinary Committee for further handling. Meanwhile, the association pledged to overhaul the entire management process for naturalized players in the future. However, these actions were insufficient to calm regional public opinion.

Immediately after the press conference, social media across Southeast Asia exploded with debates. Many fans believe FAM is “lagging behind the issue” and that a clear penalty from the Asian Football Confederation is necessary to close the controversy.

A Thai fan commented: “Press conferences are fine, but football needs concrete actions. AFC cannot delay any longer.”Another harsher opinion from Indonesia stated: “If no early punishment is given, the message to other teams is that rules can be bent.”.

Vietnamese fans are also closely following the developments, especially since Malaysia previously used suspicious naturalized players in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. A widely shared comment read: “Fairness for other teams is more important than the pride of one association. AFC must make a decision soon.”Meanwhile, a Singaporean fan remarked: “FIFA has already ruled a forfeit; AFC should follow suit, or else trust in the tournament will collapse.”.

Even in Malaysia, many fans express fatigue. A local supporter frankly shared: “We don’t want Malaysian football to be associated with cheating. It’s better to accept punishment early than to prolong suspicion.”Another comment wrote: “If wrong, accept it; don’t let the nation’s image worsen.”.

In fact, FIFA has already imposed 0-3 forfeits on Malaysia in three recent friendly matches, increasing pressure on AFC. Many regional experts believe AFC’s wait for a decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport only prolongs the situation, leaving involved teams in uncertainty.

The greatest risk for Malaysia is that their wins in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers could be annulled if AFC determines the players were ineligible. This scenario would not only affect the group standings but also severely damage Malaysia’s football reputation in the region.

As a regional fan summarized briefly but widely shared: “No one wants to see Southeast Asian football rise through shady cheating. AFC needs to impose penalties as soon as possible.”.