KUALA LUMPUR – The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has indicated it may take the dispute over Malaysia’s naturalised players to FIFA should the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issue a ruling deemed unjust.
The federation has said it is prepared to contest the decision to protect both the integrity of the competition and the eligibility status of seven Malaysian footballers.
“The VFF is prepared to submit petitions to the AFC and FIFA if the final verdict on Malaysia’s naturalisation case is considered unreasonable or lacking fairness,” Vietnamese media quoted federation officials as saying.
The controversy originates from a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision, which reportedly upheld previous FIFA sanctions concerning documentation irregularities linked to Malaysia’s naturalisation procedures.
“CAS previously upheld FIFA’s punishment against seven Malaysian players for using invalid documents during the naturalisation process,” the report said.
The players involved are Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Hector Hevel, Gabriel Palmero, and Facundo Garces.
Vietnamese officials have expressed concern that the AFC’s forthcoming decision could significantly influence Group F standings in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
“The ruling could greatly affect the group standings, especially if Malaysia face sanctions,” a VFF official was quoted as saying.
Competition rules state that teams fielding ineligible players risk forfeiting matches 3–0, which could see Malaysia lose six points from their fixtures against Vietnam and Nepal.
Harimau Malaya currently top Group F with 15 points, followed by Vietnam on 12, Laos on three, and Nepal yet to score.
Despite the ongoing legal dispute, the VFF affirmed that preparations for the March 31 qualifier against Malaysia will proceed without disruption.
“The team will maintain its preparations and will not allow the issue to disrupt its build-up,” the federation said.
Only the group winners will secure qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. - March 14, 2026
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