Black Leopards take ‘premature’ transfer ban dispute to CAS

Black Leopards are continuing their challenge against the Premier Soccer League after claiming they were suspended prematurely at the beginning of the 2025/2026 Motsepe Foundation Championship season.

The Limpopo club, relegated at the end of last season, were unable to register their new players for their opening four matches. They initially sought replays of those fixtures and remain determined to pursue the case, despite an SAFA arbitration ruling in favour of the PSL.

Black Leopards chairman Chief Thidiela said the matter has now been taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where the club expects a decision in its favour.

The dispute centres on the PSL’s decision to withhold the registration cards of Leopards’ new signings because of a FIFA transfer ban. The club argues that the league acted before FIFA officials had formally issued the ban.

The new Motsepe Foundation Championship season began over the weekend, creating uncertainty over what could happen if CAS rules against the PSL and in favour of Black Leopards. The possible consequences for the current campaign have not yet been determined.

Thidiela said the club did not want its legal challenge to cause disruption during the season, but insisted that Black Leopards had to continue with the appropriate process.

“The case is still with CAS. We will see what happens going forward. Our aim is not to disrupt the league in the middle of the season since we’ve contributed a lot to football, but at the same time, we need to follow the right processes for the truth to come out,” Thidiela told KickOff.

Black Leopards’ case follows the failure of their appeal through SAFA arbitration. Their argument is that the four matches in question should be replayed because the club was prevented from using its new players as a result of a ban that, according to Leopards, had not yet been officially issued by FIFA.

The club now wants four matches from the previous season to be replayed. Although Black Leopards were relegated last season, the outcome of the CAS process could still have implications for their position and for the current Motsepe Foundation Championship campaign.

Thidiela said the club would wait until the ruling before deciding what action to take during the current season.

“As for what will happen to the current season once the CAS decision is made, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. We believe we were wronged, but we do not necessarily think the whole thing should cause chaos. We still want football to survive.

“We still believe the ban was premature, and it impacted the survival of this club. We are doing this for our supporters. The relegation affected our community.”

Black Leopards maintain that their challenge is intended to defend the club and its supporters rather than create wider instability in South African football. The club believes the disputed ban contributed to its relegation and affected its ability to survive at professional level.