Kuala lumpur: The national football team, Harimau Malaya, has been handed 3-0 defeats against both Nepal and Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, following the revelation of fielding ineligible players. This decision, which alters Malaysia's previous victories, stems from a meeting held by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed that they breached Article 56 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code. This infraction occurred during matches against Nepal on March 25, last year, and Vietnam on June 10, last year. Initially, Malaysia triumphed over Nepal 2-0 and defeated Vietnam 4-0. However, the AFC's decision reversed these results, applying a 3-0 loss to both matches in compliance with Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code. Furthermore, FAM has been fined USD50,000 (RM196,119) for the violation.

FAM has announced plans to submit a written request to the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee, seeking the rationale behind the decision before determining their next steps. The penalty has significantly impacted Harimau Malaya's standing, as they now hold only nine points in the qualifiers, jeopardizing their chances of securing a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup.

Prior to this decision, Malaysia led their group with 15 points, surpassing Vietnam's 12 points, while Laos and Nepal trailed with three and zero points respectively. Even with a potential victory against Vietnam in the final group match on March 31, Malaysia's qualification hopes are bleak, as they would only reach 12 points, allowing Vietnam to top the group with 15 points.

The AFC's investigation into FAM involved allegations of document falsification concerning seven heritage players. These players, including Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, were previously suspended by FIFA in September due to similar accusations.