Governing Bodies
FIFA’S TRANSFER BAN THREAT HANGS ON ZAMALEK
Egyptian giants Zamalek have until the end of April to decide whether to appeal the fact that they must pay former player Benjamin Acheampong over $1m.
On Thursday, football’s world governing body Fifa sent the five-time African champions the full reasoning of why it had instructed the Cairo club, on 1 March, to pay the money to the Ghanaian.
Within this, Fifa made clear it was not persuaded by evidence presented by Zamalek that it had reached a greatly-reduced settlement with Acheampong through former Egypt captain Nader El Sayed, who is now an agent.
Zamalek have 21 days from 8 April, when the reasoning was sent out, to file any appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Fifa’s decision last month came after Cas, sport’s highest legal body, ruled in December that Zamalek must pay Acheampong after determining that the player was forced into breaking his contract by the club’s actions.
Cas found the Ghanaian had ‘no other option but to terminate’ his contract in 2018, citing – among other reasons – his lack of proper payment as well as his exclusion from both training and the squad for his second season at the club.
In January, Fifa opened disciplinary proceedings against Zamalek “for a potential failure to respect a … Cas decision”.
Two months later, they instructed the club to pay Acheampong around $1.1m – as per Cas’ instructions – by the end of March or face a transfer ban.
However, Zamalek’s decision to request the full grounds extended this deadline, which will be further delayed if any follow-up case is taken to Cas.
In its detailed reasoning, Fifa made clear that it was not persuaded by evidence presented by Zamalek claiming to have reached agreement with agent El Sayed that Acheampong had settled for just $250,000.
El Sayed told both Fifa and the BBC that he was still representing Acheampong even though the Ghanaian maintained he had not seen the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations champion, capped over 100 times by Egypt, in over three years.
That did not stop both El Sayed and Zamalek presenting three documents bearing Acheampong’s name to Fifa. The player has said he signed none of them.
“[Fifa] takes note that the amounts due under the Cas award … total almost US$1,000,000 [without interest],” Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee said in its detailed decision.
“As such, it is very unlikely that [Acheampong] would have agreed to enter into a settlement agreement where he would only receive a quarter of the amounts to which he was entitled. [Fifa] is comfortably satisfied that [Acheampong] did not authorise Mr El Sayed to act on his behalf.
“Therefore, [Fifa] deems that the arguments raised by [Zamalek] could not justify the fact that the amounts due to [Acheampong] in accordance with the award passed by [Cas] on 8 December 2020 have not been paid.
“[Fifa] concludes that [Zamalek] … is withholding money from [Acheampong].”
In addition to the threat of a transfer ban, Zamalek were also fined $30,000 by Fifa – with that fine now on hold.
Now back in Cairo with El Dakhleya FC after a spell away from Egypt, Acheampong has said he is prepared to wait for his money, which is likely to take six months at the very least, and probably far longer, if Zamalek do appeal.
“It is not easy at all but I will be strong,” the former Ghanaian youth international told BBC Sport Africa.
He has previously explained that he burned through his savings after not being paid his proper salary while at Zamalek.
In a separate move, the club once insisted – in vain – that the player had given away over half of his contractual income when signing a ‘waiver’ shortly before going out on loan in early 2018.
Zamalek are one of the biggest clubs in Egypt, Africa, where their tally of five African club crowns is only beaten by great rivals Al Ahly, and the Middle East.
They have twice lost the African Champions League final in the last five years.
-BBC
World football governing body, FIFA, today clocks its 122nd anniversary, celebrating more than a century of overseeing and expanding the global game.
Founded on May 21, 1904, in Paris, France, FIFA began with just seven member associations — France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
From that modest beginning, the organisation has grown into the most influential sports governing body in the world, with 211 member associations spread across all continents.
Over the decades, FIFA has transformed football into a truly global phenomenon through competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Club World Cup, youth tournaments, and developmental programmes aimed at growing the game worldwide.
The organisation has also witnessed remarkable milestones, including the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams beginning from the 2026 edition to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
FIFA’s journey has equally reflected football’s growing influence beyond sport, with the game becoming a major tool for diplomacy, social inclusion, youth empowerment, and economic development across the world.
As FIFA celebrates 122 years of existence, attention is now focused on the future of the game, technological innovations, expanded competitions, women’s football growth, and the continued globalisation of football.
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UEFA has issued a lifetime ban to Petr Vlachovsky, a Czech women’s soccer coach who secretly filmed his players, the governing body announced on Tuesday.
Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of whom was 17.
In a statement, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following the appointment of an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of potential misconduct.
“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.
FC Slovacko did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world soccer governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.
“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and that safeguarding the well-being of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.
Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19s team.
RELATED STORY: https://sportsvillagesquare.com/2026/04/08/outrage-as-male-coach-who-secretly-filmed-women-players-still-free-to-work-in-football/
-Reuters
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Southampton have been kicked out of the Championship playoff final after being found guilty of spying on semi-final opponents Middlesbrough, the English Football League said on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough, who lost 2-1 to Southampton on aggregate in the semi, have been reinstated and will face Hull City on Saturday in what is dubbed the world’s richest soccer match.
Promotion to the Premier League, even with an immediate relegation, is estimated to be worth in the region of 200 million pounds ($268.10 million) over three seasons.
Southampton, who admitted the charges, were also found guilty of filming training sessions involving Oxford United in December and Ipswich Town in April during the regular season.
They have also been deducted four points from the start of next season in England’s second tier.
“An Independent Disciplinary Commission has today expelled Southampton from the Championship play-offs after the club admitted multiple breaches of EFL regulations related to the unauthorised filming of other clubs’ training,” the EFL said.
“Southampton admitted breaches of Regulations requiring Clubs to act with the utmost good faith and prohibiting the observation of another Club’s training session within 72 hours of a scheduled match.
“The effect of today’s order is that Middlesbrough are reinstated into the 2026 play-offs and will proceed to the play-off final against Hull City. The final remains scheduled for Saturday 23 May, with the kick-off time to be confirmed.”
The EFL confirmed that Southampton could appeal against the decision and that “parties are working to try and resolve any appeal on Wednesday 20 May.
“Subject to the outcome, it could result in a further change to Saturday’s fixture,” the statement said.
‘BORO CALLED FOR SOUTHAMPTON EXPULSION
Middlesbrough had called for Southampton’s expulsion after having a training session at their Rockliffe Park site filmed 48 hours ahead of the first leg of their playoff semi-final with Southampton which ended 0-0.
The north-east club said they welcomed the decision.
“We believe this sends out a clear message for the future of our game regarding sporting integrity and conduct,” the north Middlesbrough said in a statement.
“As a club, we are now focused on our game against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday.”
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season and were struggling in the early part of this campaign until a storming finish in which they went unbeaten in 19 league games to finish fourth and enter the playoffs.
The south-coast club are the first to fall foul of the Football League’s regulation 127 — brought in after Leeds United were found guilty of spying on Derby County seven years ago, an offence for which they were fined 200,000 pounds.
-Reuters
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