Seven naturalized players sanctioned by FIFA over an illegal registration scandal are officially free to resume their club careers as of November 1, 2026, after completing their 12-month bans, CNN Indonesia reported.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Immediate Squad Reinforcement: Clubs with returning personnel can now integrate these assets back into starting XIs without lingering disciplinary restrictions.
- Transfer Market Activity: Target players previously sidelined by the suspension, such as Rodrigo Holgado linked to Brunei club DPMM, can now finalize contract agreements and match registrations.
The Disciplinary Timeline and CAS Ruling
The disciplinary action originated on September 26, 2025, when the FIFA Disciplinary Committee found that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had utilized invalid or falsified documents in the naturalization files of the players. The sanctions initially included a 350,000 Swiss franc fine for FAM—equivalent to approximately Rp7,7 billion—and a 12-month ban from football activities for each involved player, alongside individual fines of 2.000 Swiss francs.
FAM subsequently appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On March 5, 2026, CAS maintained the 350,000 Swiss franc fine against FAM. However, CAS modified the player sanctions to restrict the ban strictly to official matches rather than all football-related activities, allowing the athletes to train with their clubs while serving out the remainder of their suspensions.
| Case Milestone | Date | Key Ruling / Action |
|---|---|---|
| Initial FIFA Sanction | September 26, 2025 | FAM fined 350,000 Swiss francs; players handed 12-month bans and individual fines. |
| CAS Appeal Decision | March 5, 2026 | CAS upheld the 12-month ban and FAM fine, narrowing the suspension scope to official matches. |
| MFL Circular Issued | October 30, 2026 | Malaysian Football League distributed a circular confirming the conclusion of the bans. |
| Sanction Expiration | November 1, 2026 | All seven players officially cleared to return to official club competition. |
Club Deployments and League Status
The Malaysian Football League (MFL) confirmed the conclusion of the bans through an official circular dated October 30, 2026. MFL Chief Executive Officer Mohd Shazli Shaik Mohd verified the authenticity of the notification to regional media, noting that the players’ rights as professional footballers have been fully restored at the club level.
/data/photo/2025/09/27/68d6c88dab976.jpg "Photo: Kompas")
The impacted players are distributed across several leagues:
- Facundo Garces: Registered with Spanish club Alaves.
- Imanol Machuca: Playing for Independiente in Argentina.
- Rodrigo Holgado: Nearing a finalized move to DPMM, a Brunei-based club competing in the Malaysia League.
- Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Joao Figueireido, and Hector Hevel: Listed as squad members for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
While the MFL regards the players as participants, their eligibility remains sharply split between club and country. While they are permitted to play for their respective clubs, they remain unrecognized by FIFA for international competition. Representing the Malaysia national team is contingent upon successfully submitting and validating compliant naturalization paperwork acceptable to world football’s governing body.
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