FIFA reveals list of clubs banned from player registrations, including African powerhouses and global giants
FIFA has released a new list of clubs banned from registering new players, which includes prominent African teams, six from Saudi Arabia, and five in the Argentine league. Among the sanctioned teams are well-known names like San Lorenzo (Argentina), Wydad (Morocco), and TP Mazembe (DRC), all of whom have won continental championships since 2010 and participated in the FIFA Club World Cup.
These bans, commonly referred to as «transfer bans», are imposed by FIFA when clubs violate transfer rules or have unpaid transfer debts to other clubs.
Typically lasting for two or three transfer windows, these bans can be lifted if the debts are settled, as demonstrated last year with Saudi club Al Nassr in a case involving Leicester.
Renowned clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid have previously faced FIFA registration bans in the last decade, mostly related to cases involving the signing of young players under international contracts.
These bans are usually put on hold during the appeals process.
The current list includes three out of the eight clubs that participated in the inaugural season of the African Super League: Wydad (Morocco), Esperance (Tunisia), and TP Mazembe (DRC).
Another influential African club, Egypt’s Zamalek, is also on the list, though details of its case are undisclosed.
The primary goal of this new tool, as stated by FIFA, is to provide an overview of all clubs currently prohibited from registering new players, benefiting players, clubs, and the general public.
In Saudi Arabia, Pro League clubs Al Raed and Al Wehda recently received registration bans for three transfer windows, while four second-division clubs, namely Al Faisaly, Al Qaisumah, Jeddah, and Ohod, are also listed by FIFA.
In Argentina, teams unable to register new players include Banfield, Central Cordoba, Independiente, San Lorenzo, and Union.
The FIFA database currently encompasses 78 cases involving Chinese clubs, along with numerous cases in Ukraine where clubs have suffered revenue losses due to the Russian military invasion, impacting ticket sales, broadcasts, and sponsorship contracts.
