AFC Secretary General Datuk Seri Windsor Paul said the fixture would go ahead because of contractual and commercial commitments. He added that a final decision regarding Malaysia could be issued within seven to ten days.

He noted that even if Malaysia were to face disciplinary sanctions or be ruled to have forfeited the match, the fixture between the two sides would still be played because of commercial obligations under AFC regulations as well as its impact on rankings.

The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee has begun reviewing the case following the CAS ruling and is awaiting an official response from FAM, Windsor said. A final decision will be made after the committee considers Malaysia’s explanation and relevant evidence provided by FIFA.

Earlier, CAS partially upheld an appeal filed by seven players who had been sanctioned for falsifying documents related to their eligibility to play under the authority of FAM. In a ruling issued in Lausanne, Switzerland, on March 5, CAS said the players’ suspensions apply only to official matches.

The court maintained the 12-month suspension, but adjusted parts of the earlier FIFA decision, allowing the players to continue training and take part in other football activities with their clubs.

Meanwhile, a separate appeal filed by FAM was rejected, meaning the association must still pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs or around US$450,000.

Thien Truong Stadium selected for Vietnam-Malaysia Asian Cup qualifier

VOV.VN - The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has selected Thien Truong Stadium in northern Ninh Binh province as the venue for the decisive Asian Cup 2027 qualifier between hosts Vietnam and Malaysia, a match widely seen as a de facto group final.