Morocco’s Abdelhamid Maali awarded over $600,000 in Zamalek dispute

FIFA has published details of the case involving Moroccan forward Abdelhamid Maali and Egyptian club Zamalek, with the player awarded more than $600,000 in outstanding payments and compensation.

The ruling, issued in July, orders Zamalek to pay Maali $66,000 in outstanding financial dues, plus annual interest of 5%.

The club must also pay $545,680 in compensation for breach of contract, with 5% annual interest applying to that amount from 4 December 2025 until the payment is made.

Zamalek given 30 days to settle award

According to Al-Watan Sport, FIFA has instructed Zamalek to settle the outstanding amounts and applicable interest within 30 days of being notified of the decision.

If the club fails to make the payment, the case can be referred at the player’s request to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for further consideration.

The report says Zamalek would not automatically face a suspension, but could be subject to a separate disciplinary decision.

FIFA examines two versions of contract

The case also involved different versions of an employment contract between Maali and Zamalek.

According to details reported by Al-Watan Sport, FIFA’s Transfer Matching System showed that Zamalek entered transfer instructions for the permanent transfer of Maali on 3 August 2025.

The club submitted a copy of an employment contract, described as the Transfer Matching System Contract, which differed from the version Maali submitted through FIFA’s legal portal.

While the financial figures were identical in both documents, the TMS version reportedly stated that the agreed amounts were net and that the fifth season of the contract was optional.

FIFA rejects Zamalek request over French documents

Zamalek also asked FIFA’s Football Tribunal to require Maali to resubmit his legal memoranda and attachments in English.

The Egyptian club argued that documents submitted in French should not be considered unless they had been properly translated into English in accordance with the contract.

FIFA’s General Secretariat rejected the request, referring to Article 13 of its procedural rules and informing Zamalek that the memoranda submitted in French complied with the applicable procedures.

The request was therefore not accepted as part of the proceedings.