According to Malaysian media, CAS has upheld almost all penalties that FIFA previously imposed on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and 7 players accused of violating regulations related to naturalization.
These players are only allowed to train and live at the club, while the case continues to be transferred to the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for consideration of further handling measures.
One of the possibilities being mentioned is that the Malaysian team may be defeated 0-3 in two matches in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, including the match against Nepal and the previous victory over the Vietnamese team, due to using players who violated regulations. If this scenario occurs, Malaysia will be deducted 6 points, from 15 points to 9 points.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team will get an additional 3 points from the above match, thereby rising to the top of the group with 12 points and having a wide door to win a ticket to participate in the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
After CAS announced the ruling, coach Peter Cklamovski and CEO Rob Friend made almost no official statements, sparking many speculations in Malaysian public opinion about their ability to leave their positions in the context that the team faces the risk of losing the opportunity to participate in the 2027 Asian Cup.
Previously, both had expressed optimism about the possibility that FAM could achieve favorable results at CAS. Mr. Cklamovski even affirmed that he would continue to stick with the Malaysian national team and is focusing on preparing for the match against Vietnam during the FIFA Days in March.
According to the initial plan, the Malaysian team is expected to gather from March 23 to prepare for the match against the Vietnamese team. However, up to now, the training plan, gathering location or friendly matches before the match have not been specifically announced.
Former head of the Malaysian national team delegation Kamarul Ariffin expressed concern when saying that the team's preparation is not clear after the CAS's ruling. He emphasized that despite the difficult situation, the Malaysian team still needs to prepare seriously for the upcoming match.
Meanwhile, Malaysian fans are also waiting for further decisions from FAM regarding the coaching staff and the direction of the national team after recent upheavals.
