Asian Cup 2027: AFC Strips Malaysia's Two Match Wins

According to an announcement on the AFC website, during a meeting on March 17, the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee determined that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) violated Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code by using an ineligible player in two matches against Nepal (March 25, 2025) and Vietnam (June 10, 2025).

Based on this decision, AFC has canceled Malaysia's two wins against Nepal (2-0) and Vietnam (4-0), and instead awarded them a 0-3 defeat in each match as per regulations. This decision will result in Malaysia losing 6 points in the qualification round, virtually eliminating their chance to secure a spot in the Asian Cup 2027. Additionally, FAM has been fined 50,000 USD for violating Article 11.3 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.

In its statement, FAM indicated it will request AFC to provide the full basis for this decision before considering any further steps.