The Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) initially invited Russia, but they declined. They then turned to Malaysia, alongside regular participant Oman.

Today, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed their participation. This is believed to be the reason they declined a friendly match against rivals Indonesia in early June. The match was highly anticipated by media in both countries, as both nations are actively recruiting naturalized players of mixed heritage, a prominent trend in Southeast Asia.

Malaysian players celebrate their 4-0 victory over Vietnam in the second round of Group F of the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup, at Bukit Jalil Stadium, Malaysia, on 10/6/2025. Photo: *Malaysia NT*

At CAFA 2025, Malaysia will have the opportunity to play against two Asian teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup: Iran (ranked 18th by FIFA) and Uzbekistan (57th). The other four teams are Kyrgyzstan (103rd), Tajikistan (104th), Turkmenistan (142nd), and Afghanistan (160th). Seeding will be based on FIFA rankings. Currently, Oman is ranked 77th, while Malaysia is 131st but will be placed in the fourth pot reserved for invited teams.

The eight teams will be divided into two groups for a round-robin stage. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. Teams reaching the final will play a maximum of five matches in 15 days, averaging one game every three days.

The September FIFA Days are scheduled from 1/9 to 9/9, but Malaysia will postpone domestic leagues earlier to prepare. Players based in South America and Europe will join the national team according to the FIFA Days schedule, or earlier depending on negotiations between FAM and their respective clubs.

"This tournament is an important opportunity for the Malaysian team to continue building unity and make fans proud," said coach Cklamovski on the FAM website. "We face a tough challenge playing away from home, competing in a demanding environment against strong opponents. These experiences are vital for the national team's continuous development."

Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi celebrates his second goal for Iran in their 3-0 win over North Korea in the final match of Group A of the third qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup - Asian region, at Azadi Stadium, Iran, on 10/6/2025. Photo: *AFP*

Malaysia is riding high after defeating Vietnam 4-0 in the second round of Group F of the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup on 10/6. This victory boosts their chances of qualifying for the Asian Cup and demonstrates the success of their recruitment of quality players with mixed heritage.

This year, Malaysia naturalized seven players who all featured in the win against Vietnam: midfielders Hector Hevel (Dutch and Spanish descent), Gabriel Palmero and Jon Irazabal (Spanish), forwards Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado and Joao Figueiredo (Brazilian), and center back Facundo Garces (Argentinian). FAM's policy of seeking out talents of Malaysian descent continues with the support of Tunku Ismail – the Crown Prince of Johor and president of Johor Darul Tazim.

Malaysia's preparations contrast with Vietnam's. The Vietnamese national team is not scheduled to convene during the September FIFA Days, allowing coach Kim Sang-sik to focus on the U22 team's 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Before the June match, Malaysia had two practice matches against Cape Verde (ranked 72nd by FIFA) from Africa, while Vietnam only held internal training matches with their U22 team.

Vietnam and Malaysia will face each other again in the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup on 31/3/2026. Before that, the two teams will play against Nepal and Laos, respectively, during the October and November international breaks.

Trung Thu