CAS orders AS Vita Club to pay former coach Abdeslam Ouaddou more than €600,000

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled in favor of former AS Vita Club head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, ordering the Congolese giants to pay the Moroccan tactician more than €600,000 after finding that the club unlawfully terminated his contract.

The ruling follows a legal dispute that began after Ouaddou lodged a complaint on November 18, 2024, over the wrongful termination of his contract and unpaid salaries. The case was initially taken to FIFA before ultimately being decided by CAS.

In its judgment, CAS declared Ouaddou’s claim admissible and concluded that AS Vita Club had unilaterally terminated his contract on January 11, 2024, without just cause.

As a result, the court ordered the club to pay the former coach a total of €612,227.30, comprising €157,000 in outstanding salaries and bonuses, €1,977.30 as reimbursement for flight ticket expenses, and €453,250 in compensation for the wrongful termination of his contract.

The decision represents a significant legal victory for Ouaddou, who had sought compensation after alleging that the club breached the terms of his employment agreement.

However, the matter did not end with the initial ruling.

After informing CAS on June 9, 2026, that AS Vita Club had failed to make any progress toward settling the amount owed, the court issued a fresh order on July 23, 2026, reinforcing its earlier decision.

Under the latest directive, AS Vita Club has been instructed to pay an additional 3,000 Swiss francs (CHF) as a contribution toward Ouaddou’s legal expenses.

The club has also been ordered to bear two-thirds of the arbitration costs, with the exact amount to be communicated by CAS at a later date.

CAS further warned AS Vita Club that failure to comply with its ruling could expose the club to severe disciplinary sanctions, adding further pressure on the Congolese outfit to honor the financial obligations imposed by the court.

The ruling marks the latest high-profile contractual dispute involving an African club and underscores the growing willingness of coaches and players to seek legal redress through FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport when employment agreements are breached.