{
  "id": 16458894,
  "title": "What's next for 'Heritage 7' after FIFA ban?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/whats-next-for-heritage-7-after-fifa-ban",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-25T09:32:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2026/10/1563238/whats-next-heritage-7-after-fifa-ban"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "FIFA has recently lifted its 12-month ban on Malaysia's seven naturalised footballers, with their suspensions set to expire next month. However, their future in Malaysian football remains uncertain. The players are free to join domestic leagues, but their chances of representing the national team, Harimau Malaya, are questionable. FIFA banned the seven players last year due to the falsification of their ancestral documentation when applying for heritage players status.\n\nFour of the seven players have already found new homes in Malaysia. Johor Darul Ta zim now has four of them, while Spanish left-back Gabriel Palmero, along with Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel, have teamed up with JDT. Argentine striker Rodrigo Holgado is poised to join Bruneian club DPMM FC. Winger Imanol Machuca has signed with Argentine club CA Independiente, and centre-back Facundo Garces continues to play for La Liga side Deportivo Alaves.\n\nDespite their suspensions ending, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan has stated that the seven players cannot currently represent Malaysia. According to Ghani, FIFA does not permit them to play for the country.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: FIFA’s 12-month suspensions on Malaysia’s seven naturalised footballers will end next month. So who will they play for next?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}