Harimau Malaya: where the national team stands in October 2026

The 2025 document case, step by step

Most of what has happened to the team in the past year traces back to one decision. In September 2025 FIFA's Disciplinary Committee found that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had broken Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code by using falsified documents to establish seven heritage players' eligibility for Malaysia [4]. The case then moved through four more bodies:

1. September 2025, FIFA Disciplinary Committee. FAM was fined CHF 350,000. Seven players, Facundo Garcés, Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado, Gabriel Palmero, João Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal and Hector Hevel, were each fined CHF 2,000 and banned for 12 months from all football activity [4].
2. November 2025, FIFA Appeal Committee. The sanctions were upheld [4].
3. December 2025, FIFA. Three friendlies in which the players had appeared, against Cape Verde, Singapore and Palestine, were recorded as 3-0 defeats, and FAM was fined a further CHF 10,000 [5].
4. March 2026, Court of Arbitration for Sport. The players' appeal was partly upheld: the bans were limited to official matches rather than all football activity. The CHF 350,000 fine on FAM stood [5].
5. March 2026, Asian Football Confederation. Malaysia's Asian Cup qualifier wins over Nepal (2-0) and Vietnam (4-0) became 3-0 defeats, and FAM was fined US$50,000 [6].

That last decision ended Malaysia's chance of reaching the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam qualified from the group instead. We did not find a report confirming whether FAM appealed the Asian Football Confederation's decision.

How 2026 has gone on the pitch

The year has been one of change off the pitch. Peter Cklamovski left as head coach in mid-June, and Tan Cheng Hoe, a former national coach, returned as interim coach on 25 June [1]. FAM went about five months without an executive committee before Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan was elected president on 17 September, by 20 votes to 5, for the rest of the 2025 to 2029 term [2].

On the pitch, the ASEAN Championship in July and August ended in the semi-final, where Vietnam won both legs 2-0 [7]. The FIFA ASEAN Cup in Jakarta and Bandung went better. Malaysia were unbeaten, beating Bangladesh 3-0 and Singapore 6-0 and drawing 0-0 with Indonesia, then beat Vietnam 1-0 to finish third on 5 October [7]. That run lifted the team three places in the FIFA ranking, to 133rd [3].

What comes next

Malaysia's next matches are in a four-team tournament organised by the Chinese Football Association at Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou: China on 14 November at 8pm and Yemen on 17 November at 2pm [8]. The tournament replaced an earlier plan for two friendlies against China. The next FIFA ranking is due on 18 November, after those games.

The bigger question is the coach. On 16 October Bernama reported that the permanent appointment was still being discussed, and that Hajime Moriyasu, the Japanese coach, had been linked with the job [1]. That link is a report, not an announcement, and we will update this page when FAM names its choice.

Bukit Jalil National Stadium

The national stadium in Bukit Jalil was closed from June to September 2026 while its running track was replaced ahead of the 2027 SEA Games, which will hold their athletics events there [9]. Malaysia played their ASEAN Championship home matches at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium instead. We could not confirm whether Bukit Jalil has reopened for football.

For the clubs behind the national team, our Malaysia Super League guide covers the domestic season, and the football section lists all our guides.

Sources