The Football Federation of Malaysia (FAM) experienced a significant upheaval on January 28, 2026, as all senior officials within its Executive Committee tendered their resignations. This collective departure followed a landmark decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which opted to suspend sanctions against seven foreign players previously implicated in falsifying Malaysian citizenship documents. The CAS ruling also permitted these players to return to their professional football careers.
Yusoff Mahadi, who serves as the Acting President of FAM, confirmed that the resignations of the senior federal officials were primarily intended to safeguard the reputation and integrity of the Malaysian governing body. Mahadi explained, “The resignation is to maintain the reputation, as well as the interests of the Football Association (FAM), and to reduce the risk of adverse effects that could impact the entirety of Malaysian football.”
Prior to the CAS intervention, FIFA, the international football governing body, had imposed substantial penalties. FIFA had fined FAM over $400,000 and had issued 12-month bans to each of the seven players from participating in football activities, alongside individual fines of $2,500.
The players at the center of this controversy are Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal from Spain; Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, and Imanol Machuca from Argentina; Joao Figueiredo of Brazil; and Hector Hevel from the Netherlands.
The scandal’s timeline began shortly after a 4-0 victory for Malaysia against Vietnam in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Following FIFA’s punitive measures, FAM lodged an appeal against these sanctions. However, FIFA subsequently rejected Malaysia’s appeal, prompting FAM to escalate the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On January 27, 2026, the CAS ultimately suspended the sanctions imposed by FIFA on the seven foreign players involved in the alleged forgery of Malaysian citizenship documents. Crucially, the court also granted all seven players the immediate right to resume their respective football careers.
Despite the favorable CAS decision for the players, Malaysian lawyers involved in the case issued a caution. They advised the seven players not to prematurely celebrate the CAS ruling, emphasizing that FIFA itself had not yet formally lifted its sanctions, suggesting potential ongoing complexities.
