Zamalek expect FIFA transfer ban to end after Oleksandria payment

Zamalek have said their two-window transfer ban is unrelated to the club’s contractual dealings with Brazilian player Juan Bezerra and will be lifted once an outstanding instalment is paid to Ukrainian club Oleksandria.

FIFA imposed the registration ban after ruling that Zamalek must pay Oleksandria €200,000, relating to the fourth instalment of Bezerra’s transfer. A source at the Egyptian club told FilGoal.com that the sanction followed a final FIFA decision issued on 21 May.

“ The registration ban relating to the fourth instalment owed to Ukrainian club Oleksandria from the Juan Bezerra deal has nothing to do with the club’s dealings with the Brazilian player,” the source said.

“The contractual relationship is now between Zamalek and Bezerra, while the Ukrainian club’s relationship with Zamalek concerns only the instalments of the transfer.”

The source added that Zamalek had been prioritising cases that had to be settled by 31 March in order to obtain a licence to participate in the CAF Champions League. The club has so far paid Oleksandria €1.1m from the overall transfer instalments, according to the source.

“The FIFA ruling imposing the registration ban is not a cause for concern because the ban lasts for two registration periods and will end as soon as payment is made. The payment will indeed be made before next January,” the source said.

Zamalek have therefore received a new FIFA registration ban related to the latest €200,000 instalment due to Oleksandria for Bezerra’s transfer.

FIFA’s website removed two Oleksandria cases from Zamalek’s list of registration disputes on 3 August. Both cases concerned money owed to the Ukrainian club from Bezerra’s move to Zamalek.

Those two Oleksandria cases had been the final disputes affecting Zamalek’s eligibility for an African licence. Zamalek had previously announced that they had resolved all cases connected with the licence, a position later confirmed by FIFA.

The club now have three registration-ban cases listed against them. One is a disciplinary suspension that cannot be lifted even if payment is made; that case concerns former Zamalek player Salah Massad.

Zamalek are preparing for the 2026-27 season, when they are due to compete in the Egyptian Premier League, the CAF Champions League, the Egypt Cup and the Egyptian Super Cup.