FIFA has accused Malaysia of falsifying citizenship documents to make seven foreign-born footballers eligible to play for the national team, calling it a “deliberate act of deception.”
The world football governing body made the revelation in a report released on Monday, following its September decision to fine and suspend the players involved.
According to FIFA, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) forged birth certificates that falsely claimed the players’ grandparents were born in Malaysia, thereby qualifying them under FIFA’s eligibility rules. The report described the move as “pure and simple cheating.”
The FAM has denied any wrongdoing, insisting the inconsistencies were due to an “administrative error” and pledging to appeal the ruling. The association maintained that all seven players are “legitimate Malaysian citizens.”
Under FIFA’s “grandfather rule,” players born outside a country can represent it if their parents or grandparents were born there. The regulation was established to prevent countries from naturalising foreign players solely to boost their teams.
FIFA launched the investigation after Malaysia’s 4–0 victory over Vietnam in June, when questions surfaced about the eligibility of several players.
In September, FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the seven players for one year and imposed a fine of 2,000 Swiss francs ($2,500; £1,870) on each. The FAM was fined 350,000 Swiss francs ($440,000; £330,000).
The players named in FIFA’s report include Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, and Jon Irazabal Iraurgui (all Spanish-born); Rodrigo Julian Holgado and Imanol Javier Machuca (Argentinian-born); Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano (Netherlands-born); and Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo (Brazilian-born).
FIFA investigators reportedly obtained the players’ grandparents’ original birth certificates, which revealed they were actually born in Argentina and Spain, not in Malaysian cities like Penang or Malacca as stated in the FAM documents.
Malaysia’s Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh described the findings as damaging to the nation’s image. “I understand that local football fans are angry, disappointed, and want to see improvements,” she said during a Tuesday press briefing, according to state news agency Bernama.
Yeoh added that her ministry would await the outcome of FAM’s appeal before making an official statement.
Malaysia is set to face Laos in an Asian Cup qualifier this week, but will be without the seven suspended players, leaving the team considerably weakened.
