# AFC nomination controversy for Malaysia Football Association > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/afc-nomination-controversy-for-malaysia-football-association > Updated: 2026-10-17T22:56:25.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has been shortlisted for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Association of the Year award in the Gold category. The winner is scheduled to be announced in Bangkok on November 19, 2026. The nomination has triggered significant backlash from fans and journalists due to governance controversies. These include a naturalization scandal involving seven players from Johor Darul Ta'zim FC, who were suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for suspected falsification of nationality documents. While the CAS ruling was not applied retroactively to previous match results, the incident has raised questions regarding institutional accountability. AFC General Secretary Windsor John noted that the selection panel awards points based on activities such as grassroots development and youth competitions, leading to debate over whether program performance can offset serious governance weaknesses. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-17: Football Association of Malaysia nominated for AFC Member Association of the Year The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) is nominated for the AFC Member Association of the Year (Gold) award, sparking controversy due to previous naturalization document scandals. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/football-association-of-malaysia-nominated-for-afc-member-association-of-the-year ### 2026-10-15: AFC faces criticism over Malaysia nomination amid nationality fraud scandal The AFC faces criticism for nominating the Malaysia Football Association for an award following a nationality fraud scandal involving Johor Darul Ta'zim FC and Sanfrecce Hiroshima. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/afc-faces-criticism-over-malaysia-nomination-amid-nationality-fraud-scandal --- Cite as: AFC nomination controversy for Malaysia Football Association. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/afc-nomination-controversy-for-malaysia-football-association