Three scenarios regarding the CAS verdict: 7 naturalized players involved in fraud escape punishment, Malaysian national team forfeits match to Vietnamese national team?

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is awaiting the verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on February 26th concerning the naturalization fraud case in the match against the Vietnamese national team in June 2025 during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

FIFA discovered that 7 naturalized players of the Malaysian national team used falsified documents in this match. According to the Sinarhariannewspaper, three potential scenarios could unfold when CAS issues its final ruling to the Football Association of Malaysia. Firstly, the players might avoid punishment if they can prove they were unaware of the documentation errors, in which case responsibility could fall upon FAM due to their managerial and registration control obligations under FIFA and AFC regulations.

Secondly, if the Football Association of Malaysia loses the case completely, the naturalized players will continue to be suspended, FAM will face financial penalties, and the nation's football reputation will be severely impacted. Both the first and second scenarios could potentially lead to the AFC subsequently awarding a forfeit victory to the Vietnamese national team for the June 2025 match against Malaysia.