Nepal has officially appealed to FIFA to overturn their 2-0 loss against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, reigniting controversy surrounding Malaysia’s use of ineligible players. The match, held in Johor earlier this year, saw Malaysia’s Hector Hevel — one of seven players later banned by FIFA — score the opening goal.
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), led by CEO Indra Man Tuladhar, confirmed that an appeal has been lodged, asserting that the presence of an ineligible player directly affected the match outcome. “We have reached out regarding an ineligible player in the match. Thus, the result has to be overturned,” Tuladhar told AFP.
Last month, FIFA imposed a one-year ban on seven foreign-born Malaysian players and fined the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) US$440,000 (RM1.8 million) for allegedly submitting forged ancestry documents to justify player eligibility. According to FIFA, none of the seven players had any parent or grandparent born in Malaysia, invalidating their claims of heritage ties.
FAM, however, maintains that it did not knowingly submit false documents, defending its actions as compliant with all registration protocols.
As the investigation continues, the implications could be far-reaching — not just for Malaysia’s qualification campaign, but for the credibility of the national football administration as a whole.
Currently, Malaysia leads Group F with 12 points, followed by Vietnam with nine, Laos with three, while Nepal remains at the bottom with no points after four games.
This case underscores the growing tension between national football associations and global sports governance — a reminder that integrity, transparency, and fair play remain at the heart of the beautiful game.