Kuala lumpur: Harimau Malaya’s late withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025 due to kick off Aug 29-Sept 8 has caused certain disruptions to the ongoing organisational processes, particularly given the advanced stage of planning and preparations.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, CAFA is aware of the reason provided by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) that the tournament does not fully fall within the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) window (Sept 1-9), which caused restrictions on player availability. CAFA stated that the final registration of players can actually be submitted on a match-by-match basis.

“As per the tournament regulations, the final registration of players-selected from a preliminary list of 35-can be submitted on a match-by-match basis. This allows for maximum flexibility, including the possibility of key players joining the team for subsequent matches,” CAFA said in a statement today.

CAFA also mentioned that Malaysia’s participation had been confirmed well in advance, with full awareness of the tournament dates and schedule, which had not changed from the beginning. Earlier today, FAM announced in a statement that the decision was made following the change in match dates falling outside the FIFA international window, posing challenges in terms of logistics, player availability, and overall squad preparation.

Despite Malaysia’s withdrawal, CAFA remains committed to delivering a high-quality and competitive tournament for the people of Central Asia and beyond. “We thank all participating nations for their continued support and cooperation,” CAFA stated.

World number 125 Malaysia was supposed to play in Group B with the hosts, Tajikistan, reigning champion Iran, and Afghanistan. Group A will feature co-hosts Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Oman.