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FIFA is set to initiate a formal investigation into the internal operations of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) after the global football body suspended seven naturalised players from the national team for allegedly using doctored documents.
The players were banned for 12 months after FIFA discovered that false documentation had been used to enable them to participate in an Asian Cup qualifier for Malaysia against Vietnam.
All seven players featured in Malaysia’s 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in June.
“The FIFA Appeal Committee instructs the Secretariat to take immediate steps to launch a formal investigation into the internal operations of the FAM,” FIFA stated.
“This investigation aims to
identify the individuals responsible for the falsification of documents, assess the adequacy and effectiveness of FAM’s internal compliance and governance mechanisms, and determine whether additional disciplinary measures are warranted against FAM officials.”
FIFA’s findings prompted an outcry, with fans and lawmakers demanding action against FAM, as well as the national registration department and the home ministry.
Last month, the FAM suspended its secretary-general and formed an independent committee to investigate.
FIFA also ordered the FAM to pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs and this month rejected the FAM’s appeals.
The report detailed how Facundo Garces, Gabriel Arrocha, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel—all born outside Malaysia—were granted Malaysian nationality through a process supervised by the FAM.
The players claimed their grandparents were born in Malaysia, but FIFA obtained birth certificates that showed significant discrepancies from those submitted by FAM to prove the players’ Malaysian lineage.
“Players admitted at the hearing that they did not read any of the application documents submitted to the Malaysian government, including the part concerning the declaration that they had lived for 10 years in Malaysia,” FIFA reported.
“The players explained that following the submission of documents, FAM undertook the bureaucratic steps necessary for their naturalisation.”
FIFA described one instance where a player, Arrocha, stated: “My grandfather was born in Venezuela and my grandmother in Spain… I mean Malaysia, sorry,” while displaying confusion about the discrepancies in the birth certificates.
FIFA also directed the Secretariat to notify criminal authorities in Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, Spain, and Malaysia.
“It is imperative that the relevant authorities are informed so that appropriate criminal investigations and proceedings may be pursued,” FIFA said.
