KUALA LUMPUR – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Kuching City have complied with regulations concerning heritage players, emphasising that the national team eligibility sanctions do not extend to club football.
AFC secretary-general Datuk Seri Windsor Paul told Scoop that the Malaysian Football League’s (MFL) handling of the players’ registration “follows the MFL competition regulations” and was properly communicated to all Malaysia League clubs.
“On behalf of AFC, we accept the decision made by the MFL as it aligns with their Competition Articles. There should be no issue with the MFL’s ruling,” Windsor said.
The MFL previously confirmed that four heritage players – JDT’s Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, Hector Hevel, and Kuching City’s Gabriel Palmero – were correctly registered as local players for the 2025-2026 season.
The process, which involves submitting a coloured copy of an identity card or passport, fully adheres to MFL regulations.
While club-level rules were observed, the players remain under a 12-month ban from official matches after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld sanctions related to falsified eligibility documents. CAS allows the players to train and participate in football activities with their clubs but bars them from competing in official games.
Of the seven players initially sanctioned by FIFA, three – Joao Figueiredo, Hector Hevel, and Jon Irazabal – are JDT members.
Windsor emphasised that AFC’s authority is limited to national team eligibility. Clubs involved in AFC competitions are unaffected.
“Eligibility rules apply only to national teams. Clubs in AFC competitions, including JDT, are completely unaffected,” he said.
“There is no violation of any regulations at club level. Players can continue to participate in AFC Champions League Elite and the ASEAN Club Championship without restriction.”
Following a review of the full case file from FIFA, the AFC confirmed that the disciplinary process concerns only the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and matches involving the national team.
The ruling reassures Malaysian clubs in continental competitions, enabling JDT and Kuching City to proceed with their campaigns uninterrupted while the heritage players serve their national team suspensions. – March 14, 2026