‘Who was in New York?’: TMJ questions Fifa’s shock punishment of Malaysia over naturalised players

‘Who was in New York?’: TMJ questions Fifa’s shock punishment of Malaysia over naturalised players



The Crown Prince of Johor (TMJ), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, was president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) from 2017 to 2018. — Bernama pic

Saturday, 27 Sep 2025 3:16 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — The Crown Prince of Johor (TMJ), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, has publicly questioned Fifa’s abrupt decision to sanction Malaysia’s national football team, demanding explanations for what he described as a sudden reversal in the governing body’s position.

In a strongly worded social media statement, the Crown Prince challenged Fifa’s handling of the case involving seven suspended players and a RM1.8 million fine imposed on the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

“Fifa had already approved it (the naturalisation) before, so why has the decision changed now? What happened that led to such a sudden decision?

“Was there an external party involved in influencing Fifa’s decision?” the former FAM president said.

He further criticised Fifa for imposing punishments without providing clear justifications for its decision, calling the lack of transparency deeply concerning.

The Crown Prince also condemned Fifa’s rush to publicise the sanctions before the appeals process had concluded, describing it as premature and unfair.

His statement included a pointed question — “Who was in New York?” — which appeared to reference meetings or discussions that may have influenced the decision.


Tunku Ismail urged FAM to expedite its appeal process and presented what he described as confirmation documents from Malaysia’s National Registration Department to support the players’ legitimacy.

His statement concluded with a defiant message: “Fight we must fight. Be brave because we are in the right.”

Fifa has sanctioned seven naturalised Malaysian players for using falsified documents in violation of Article 22 of its Disciplinary Code.

FAM was also fined CHF350,000 (RM1.8 million) for allegedly submitting false papers that allowed the players to feature in Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.

The players — Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomás Garcés, Rodrigo Julián Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, João Vitor Brandão Figueiredo, Jon Irazábal Iraurgui, and Héctor Alejandro Hevel Serrano — each face a 12-month ban from all football activities and a CHF2,000 fine.