Jakarta: Harimau Malaya's participation in the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup in Indonesia from Sept 24 to Oct 3 is seen as the ideal platform to restore the nation's footballing pride following the turmoil that has affected the sport.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, despite being drawn into a challenging Division 1 Group A alongside Indonesia, Singapore, and India, local football observer Zakaria Rahim stated that the players must rise to the challenge with determination to restore supporters' confidence in Harimau Malaya. He emphasized that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must field the country's strongest squad to mount a serious challenge in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
Zakaria noted that although supporters are disappointed with issues surrounding FAM, including its leadership, they still want to see success, especially a victory over Indonesia. He mentioned that such a result would help bring fans back to support Malaysian football, focusing on restoring dignity through the tournament.
Previously, Malaysia faced severe sanctions by FIFA over forged documentation involving seven ineligible heritage players: Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel. Consequently, FIFA annulled the results of three international friendlies against Cape Verde, Singapore, and Palestine, awarding 3-0 victories to the opposing teams.
The situation worsened when the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) imposed similar sanctions over two Group F matches in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam and Nepal, in which the same players had featured. The AFC's decision to award 3-0 defeats against Malaysia in those matches not only damaged the country's FIFA ranking but also confirmed Harimau Malaya's failure to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
In January, all FAM Executive Committee members for the 2025-2029 term announced their collective and voluntary resignation. This unanimous decision was made in recognition of the organisation's responsibility, and it was seen as a prudent step in light of public attention surrounding the heritage player issue.
Zakaria further highlighted that the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup comes at a significant time as it will occur shortly after FAM elects its new leadership at its congress scheduled for Sept 17. This gives the governing body an opportunity to start a new chapter. He stressed that the responsibility of restoring Harimau Malaya's glory also falls on FAM's new leadership.
Meanwhile, experienced coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim noted that interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe would have a wider pool of players to assess for national team selection if he remains in charge for the tournament. The start of the 2026/2027 Malaysia League season on Aug 21 would provide Cheng Hoe the opportunity to select the strongest squad, with players regaining match fitness.
Division 1 Group B includes Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Philippines. The winners of each group will advance directly to the final to compete for the USD1 million prize, while the group runners-up will contest the third-place playoff.