Hanoi, 17 March, 2026 – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has confirmed that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has officially issued sanctions, awarding Vietnam a 3–0 victory over Malaysia. As a result, the Vietnam national team has secured qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
On the afternoon of March 17, FAM’s official website announced that AFC had finalized its disciplinary decision regarding Malaysia’s use of ineligible naturalized players.
Accordingly, Malaysia have been handed 3–0 forfeits in their matches against Nepal (originally a 2–0 win) and Vietnam (originally a 4–0 win) in the opening rounds of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. In addition, FAM has been fined USD 50,000.
Following these adjustments, Malaysia’s points tally has dropped from 15 to 9, while Vietnam’s total has increased from 12 to 15 points. Coach Kim Sang Sik’s side has now officially secured top spot in the group and qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup finals, regardless of the result of the return match against Malaysia on March 31, 2026.
VSN/RPT
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