Malaysia's national players are still expected to join centralised training next week, despite their government ordering them not to travel to North Korea for an AFC Asian Cup qualifier on March 28.
Datuk Ong Kim Swee's squad will be selected later this week and they will assemble at Football Association Malaysia (FAM) headquarters on March 13 at the start of a break in the Malaysia Super League season.
The Malaysians are awaiting a response from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to their request about playing the third-round match against the North Koreans at a neutral venue.
"The squad will be named within 48 hours," Malaysia assistant coach Brad Maloney told ESPN FC. "We expect to play against North Korea at a neutral venue."
On Monday, the proposed trip to Pyongyang was called off due to security concerns in the wake of worsening relations between the two nations.
"I have contacted [AFC] general secretary Datuk Windsor Paul, who is in Cambodia, on the matter," FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Amin told The Star.
"[I] have asked them for swift a resolution on the match venue so that Harimau Malaysia's itinerary can be planned smoothly."
Regardless of the outcome of that request, Malaysia are still likely to play a friendly against Philippines on March 22 or 23 in Manila.
A Chinese city would seem like a possible alternative venue for the March 28 qualifier against the North Koreans. But the AFC gave no indication of when they might hand down their decision.
"The AFC will seek further clarification and information on the request in order for the decision-making process to take place. Until that clarification is received the AFC will make no further comment," the AFC said in a statement.
Coaches Ong, and his Australian assistant Maloney, are due back in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday after a month-long attachment to English second-tier club, Queens Park Rangers, as part of an arrangement with the club's Malaysian chairman, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.