The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has announced that it will formally request an explanation from FIFA regarding the extension of added time during the Indonesia-Bangladesh match in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. The match, held at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday, ended with Indonesia defeating Bangladesh 9-2, enabling Indonesia to advance to the final based on goal difference over Malaysia.
The controversy arose after the initially indicated two minutes of added time in the second half was extended to seven minutes. Photographs showing the alteration in injury time circulated widely on social media, prompting concern from FAM about the integrity and management of the match.
In a statement released on Friday, FAM emphasized the seriousness of the issue and outlined their intention to seek official clarification from FIFA. The association wants to understand the rationale, procedures, and conditions that justified increasing the added time by five minutes. FAM stressed the importance of accurate and consistent timekeeping as a critical aspect of refereeing and maintaining the fairness and transparency of the competition.
The extension of added time drew scrutiny because the match outcome directly influenced group standings and the qualification of teams for the final. FAM underscored that proper time management aligns with the Laws of the Game and competition rules, and any deviation in such a pivotal match warrants a detailed explanation.
FIFA has yet to respond to the formal inquiry from FAM. The episode highlights ongoing concerns over officiating standards and the enforcement of match regulations in certain regional competitions.