Kuala Lumpur: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is in turmoil following the resignation of its entire executive committee on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The resignations stem from a scandal involving the falsification of documents to grant eligibility to foreign-born players for national team selection.
The controversy revolves around allegations that forged documents were used to falsely claim Malaysian ancestry for seven foreign-born players. These players then participated in Asian Cup qualifying matches. FIFA, the world football governing body, launched an investigation after receiving a complaint following Malaysia's 4-0 victory over Vietnam in a June Asian Cup qualifier. The investigation revealed that none of the players had a parent or grandparent born in Malaysia.
The players in question are Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, and Joao Brandao Figueiredo. They originate from Argentina, Brazil, Spain and the Netherlands.
In September, FIFA imposed a fine of CHF 350,000 (approximately $400,000 USD) on FAM and suspended each of the seven players from all football-related activities for 12 months. FIFA also criticized FAM for not taking any discernible disciplinary action. FAM appealed the sanctions, but FIFA rejected the appeal.
The FAM has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland, where the case is pending. CAS has temporarily suspended the player bans while the case is under review, allowing them to continue playing. The final verdict is expected in late February.
Acting FAM president Yusoff Mahadi stated that the resignations were a voluntary and unanimous decision made to protect the integrity and credibility of the association. He added that the resignations would "provide the appropriate space for FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to independently assess, review, and, where necessary, address governance, administrative, and procedural matters within FAM".
FIFA's investigation revealed that FAM had allegedly forged birth certificates to make it appear as though the players' grandparents were born in Malaysian cities. According to FIFA's "grandfather rule", foreign-born players can represent a country if their biological parents or grandparents were born there.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will assist FAM's general-secretary, Noor Azman Rahman, in overseeing the association's daily operations until a new committee is appointed. AFC will also provide a report of their findings at an upcoming FAM congress.
The controversy has sparked widespread backlash within Malaysia, with fans and political figures calling for accountability from football authorities and government institutions. The scandal has already resulted in the overturning of match results and additional fines. FIFA has penalized Malaysia with three 3-0 defeats in friendlies and imposed an additional $12,500 in fines.
