The Central Asian Football Association regrets to inform that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has officially withdrawn from participation in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025.
Malaysia’s participation had been confirmed well in advance, with full awareness of the tournament dates (29.08. – 08.09.2025) and schedule, and those dates never been changed from the beginning. Unfortunately, this late withdrawal has caused certain disruptions to the ongoing organizational processes, particularly given the advanced stage of planning and preparations.
FAM has cited the reason that the tournament does not fully fall within the FIFA international match calendar, and as a result, the release of players may be restricted. However, as per the tournament regulations, the final registration of players — selected from a preliminary list of 35 — can be submitted on a match-by-match basis. This allows for maximum flexibility, including the possibility of key players joining the team for subsequent matches.
CAFA remains committed to delivering a high-quality and competitive tournament for the people of Central Asia and beyond, and we thank all participating nations for their continued support and cooperation.