Malaysian football stirs up ahead of a cold announcement from the AFC

Facing widespread speculation about possible AFC administrative involvement, FAM Chairman Yusoff Mahadi has publicly stated that the Malaysian Football Association has not been placed under any takeover.

In recent days, Malaysian football has been repeatedly confronted with unfavorable news as rumors have surfaced that the Asian Football Confederation might take over the Football Association of Malaysia through a normalization committeeamid calls for mass resignations within the FAM leadership.

Under public pressure, acting FAM Chairman Datuk Yusoff Mahadi clarified his stance and denied any possibility of direct AFC interference in the association's management.

In an interview with Bernama, Mr. Yusoff emphasized that the normalization committee mechanism is only applied in special cases, specifically when a federation is suspended.

He affirmed: “A normalization committee is only established when a football federation is suspended. In this case, even if resignations occur, we only invite the AFC to participate in an advisory capacity.”According to him, FAM is still functioning normally and is not subject to any external intervention.

Regarding the reports of a possible mass resignation of the FAM executive committee, Yusoff Mahadi stated that the board will hold a meeting next week to clarify all issues.

He believes that all important decisions should be transparently discussed internally rather than allowing rumors to drive public opinion. This approach shows that FAM is trying to manage the crisis through official channels instead of letting the situation escalate.

Conversely, the Asian Football Confederation quickly denied the takeover claims. AFC Secretary General Datuk Seri Windsor Paul John affirmed: “The AFC does not have the authority to take over the management of another football federation.”.

He stressed that the AFC can only provide support or advice upon request, and any assistance depends on the nature of the issue and a formal proposal from the member federation.

FAM's current crisis stems from a FIFA ruling related to falsified player citizenship documents. According to FIFA’s conclusion, FAM violated Article 22 of the Disciplinary Code by submitting invalid documents for seven players, resulting in fines and a 12-month playing ban for the involved players.

The incident not only damaged the association’s reputation but also eroded fans' trust in Malaysian football authorities.

Currently, FAM is awaiting the outcome of an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport after a previous appeal was rejected. In this context, calls for reform and senior personnel changes continue to grow, fueling speculation about possible intervention by international football organizations.

Nevertheless, with clear statements from both FAM and AFC, the likelihood of a takeover at this time appears very low. The main challenge for Malaysian football is not the risk of being “taken over” but restoring its reputation, thoroughly addressing the aftermath, and regaining fan trust during this turbulent period.