Malaysia's Foreign-Born Soccer Stars Clear to Play Amid Legal Battle

Seven foreign-born players in Malaysia's national team can continue playing after the Court of Arbitration for Sport temporarily halted FIFA bans. The bans were due to naturalization document infringements. The players are from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain, awaiting a final decision on the appeal.

Seven foreign-born players in Malaysia's national soccer team have been granted temporary clearance to continue playing, as the Court of Arbitration for Sport has paused FIFA-imposed suspensions. The worldwide governing football body had penalized these players last September for alleged irregularities in their naturalization documents.

The controversy stems from accusations that Malaysian officials used falsified documents to naturalize players from Argentina, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Spain, allowing them to participate in a 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match. While FIFA fined and suspended them, Malaysia's soccer federation sought recourse through sport's highest court in Switzerland after their appeal to FIFA was denied.

The players involved—Facundo Garcés, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, João Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal, and Héctor Hevel—will continue to play for the Harimau Malaya national team until a final ruling is rendered. With the 12-month suspension on hold, these international players are back in action as investigations continue.