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FIFA Hands Zamalek Two-Window Transfer Ban Over €200,000 Bezerra Instalment

26/8/2026
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By: Assem Magdy
.News
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Zamalek have suffered another setback in their financial disputes after a new registration ban was recorded against the club by FIFA, taking the number of cases restricting the Egyptian side from registering new players to four.

The latest sanction comes as Zamalek's management attempts to clear a series of accumulated financial and legal disputes, with the club particularly keen to avoid carrying registration restrictions into the upcoming winter transfer window.

Although the case is connected to Brazilian player Juan Bezerra's transfer, details provided by a Zamalek source indicate that the sanction is not related to the club's current dispute with the player. Instead, it concerns overdue payments owed to Ukrainian side Oleksandriya, the club from which Bezerra joined Zamalek.

€200,000 Behind the Ban

According to a Zamalek official, the dispute stems from the club's failure to pay one of the agreed installments related to Bezerra's transfer.

FIFA issued a final ruling on May 21 ordering Zamalek to pay Oleksandriya €200,000 after the Ukrainian club filed a complaint over the overdue installment.

Zamalek's position is that this financial dispute is entirely separate from the club's current contractual disagreement with Bezerra. Therefore, the registration sanction is linked to money owed as part of the player's original transfer rather than any recent action involving the Brazilian himself.

The Egyptian club has spent recent months attempting to settle several international financial cases as part of its efforts to organize its finances and satisfy requirements related to its African competition licence.

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According to the source, Zamalek had already paid around €1.1 million to Oleksandriya before securing the African licence. However, the failure to pay the remaining installment on schedule eventually resulted in the latest registration sanction.

Zamalek Targets Solution Before January

Zamalek believe the latest case can still be resolved because the sanction is tied to a specific financial obligation that can be settled by paying the amount awarded to the Ukrainian club.

The board is expected to place the outstanding €200,000 among its priority payments as it attempts to lift the restriction before the winter transfer window.

The situation has become more pressing after the number of registration-related cases against Zamalek rose to four, increasing the pressure on the management to secure sufficient funds and settle its international obligations before they affect plans to strengthen the squad.

Meanwhile, the ongoing dispute involving Bezerra himself remains a separate legal matter. Zamalek continue to defend their contractual rights in that case while simultaneously working to clear the outstanding payment owed to his former club.

The club therefore faces a race against time before January: settle the €200,000 case, close its remaining registration disputes and avoid entering the winter market unable to register new signings.