The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is facing a significant leadership crisis after its entire executive committee resigned on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in response to a scandal involving falsified documents for foreign-born players. The mass resignation follows a FIFA investigation that found FAM had submitted false documents claiming seven foreign-born players had Malaysian ancestry.

The controversy began after Malaysia's 4-0 win against Vietnam in a June 2025 Asian Cup qualifier, which prompted a complaint to FIFA. FIFA's investigation revealed that the players' grandparents were not born in Malaysia, as the documents claimed, but in Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands.

FIFA subsequently suspended the seven players for a year and fined FAM US$400,000. The players involved are Joao Figueiredo (Brazil), Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Facundo Garces (Argentina), Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero (Spain), and Hector Hevel (Netherlands). Each player was also fined 2,000 Swiss francs.

Datuk Yusoff Mahadi stated that the executive committee's decision to resign was unanimous and made in principle to protect the integrity and reputation of the association and mitigate further fallout for Malaysian football. He emphasized that public trust and support were key considerations and that the resignations would allow investigations and internal processes to proceed without interference.

The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has confirmed the discovery of fraud in the naturalization applications and identified two suspects directly involved in the document forgery. The case is being investigated under the Malaysian Penal Code, with potential penalties of one to ten years imprisonment and fines for those convicted.

Following the rejection of their initial appeal by FIFA, the players took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in December 2025. CAS granted a provisional suspension of the FIFA ban, allowing the seven players to resume their careers pending a final verdict. However, participation in the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in late March is unlikely, as the CAS decision is expected around the same time.

FIFA has also opened a criminal investigation involving authorities and federations in Brazil, Spain, the Netherlands, and Argentina to investigate the forged documents. Additionally, FIFA is considering suspending FAM's membership, which could bar Malaysia from participating in international competitions.

The scandal has triggered widespread criticism, with fans and critics questioning the process of granting citizenship and the focus on naturalized players rather than developing homegrown talent. Some observers have expressed feeling betrayed by the forgery allegations.