Zamalek’s latest transfer ban is not the result of a single unresolved dispute but the cumulative weight of a long list of unpaid obligations that has finally caught up with the club.
FIFA’s decision to impose a registration ban across three windows, taking the total number of active sanctions to 10, reflects years of delayed settlements involving former coaches, players and clubs across Europe and Africa.
At the centre of the crisis is a financial bill that exceeds 115 million Egyptian pounds, a figure that must be settled in US dollars and euros if Zamalek are to restore their ability to register new players.
Club sources confirm that the ban is directly linked to multiple final and enforceable rulings, with other cases still awaiting judgment and threatening further sanctions.
The debts span several managerial regimes and recruitment cycles. Former head coaches remain among the club’s creditors, highlighting contractual instability off the pitch.
Players who once formed the backbone of the squad are also pursuing long overdue payments, while a series of transfer-related disputes with foreign clubs has added significantly to the burden.
What makes the situation particularly severe is that some of the largest claims are independent of the current ban. One unresolved case alone, involving a former winger, could trigger an additional suspension if no settlement is reached, further delaying any rebuild.
This leaves Zamalek operating under constant pressure, where clearing one set of dues may not be enough to stabilise the situation.
Club officials are attempting to manage the crisis by prioritising wage payments for the current squad and using income from player sales and donations to address the most urgent cases.
Parallel talks are also ongoing with several creditors in the hope of negotiating reduced settlements. However, insiders acknowledge that the sheer number of claimants makes a complete resolution extremely difficult in the short term.
Until these obligations are cleared, Zamalek’s transfer ambitions remain frozen, with the full list of creditors serving as a stark reminder of how financial mismanagement has translated directly into sporting punishment.
Creditors and outstanding amounts
- José Gomes, former head coach: $120,000
- Assistants of José Gomes, three cases combined: $60,000
- Christian Gross, former head coach: $133,000
- Ferjani Sassi, former midfielder: $505,000
- Estrela da Amadora, Portugal: €200,000
- Charleroi, Belgium, Odai Dabbagh transfer: €170,000
- Nahdat Zemamra, Morocco, Salah Mseddaq transfer: $250,000
- Oleksandriya, Ukraine, Juan Peseira transfer: €800,000
- Ibrahima Ndiaye, former winger: $1,600,000
