SAFA raises arbitration and appeal fees for clubs across South Africa

Professional and amateur clubs in South Africa face significantly higher costs when lodging complaints, protests, appeals or arbitration cases with the South African Football Association (SAFA).

The increases were outlined in a communique dated 23 October and sent to clubs by SAFA chief executive Lydia Monyepao.

The largest rise affects the National Soccer League, which covers the Betway Premiership and Motsepe Foundation Championship. The arbitration fee has increased from R35 000 to R100 000.

The initial appeal fee has also more than doubled, rising from R20 000 to R50 000.

Clubs in the ABC Motsepe League have also been hit by increases across several categories. The fee for a complainant has gone up from R5 000 to R10 000, while the cost of submitting a protest has risen from R10 000 to R15 000.

The appeal fee in the ABC Motsepe League is now R20 000, an increase of R5 000.

Arbitration in the competition will cost clubs R50 000, compared with the previous fee of R30 000.

The revised charges mean clubs at both professional and amateur level will need substantially more money to challenge decisions or pursue disputes through the SAFA process.

Soccer Laduma contacted SAFA for comment on the fee increases but had not received a response at the time of publication.