Athletic Club Added to FIFA Transfer Ban List Over Training Compensation Dispute

Athletic Club has been included on FIFA’s list of sanctioned clubs due to an administrative discrepancy related to training compensation rights, raising concerns about a potential transfer ban. According to FIFA regulations, clubs listed for unresolved financial or administrative issues could face restrictions on registering new players for up to three transfer windows.

Despite the announcement, officials at the Bilbao-based club have urged calm, stating that the situation is expected to be resolved within hours. Athletic Club’s board considers the matter a procedural issue linked to goalkeeper Padilla and believes it will not lead to long-term consequences.

The dispute centers on training compensation connected to the young goalkeeper, who joined Athletic’s renowned Lezama academy from Zarautz KE. Reports from Spanish media indicate that an administrative discrepancy involving development rights triggered the club’s temporary inclusion on FIFA’s monitoring list.

FIFA’s sanction registry is updated regularly and currently includes other Spanish clubs such as Algeciras and Vélez. Being listed does not automatically mean a definitive punishment, as clubs are removed once outstanding issues are resolved or documentation is corrected.

Similar cases have occurred previously in Spanish football. Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano were also placed on the list due to unpaid solidarity mechanism fees — payments designed to compensate youth academies when players are transferred before the end of their contracts.

In those instances, the clubs settled the pending amounts and were promptly removed from FIFA’s register. Athletic Club expects a similar outcome, aiming to resolve the administrative discrepancy quickly and avoid any impact on upcoming transfer windows.

The situation highlights FIFA’s increasing oversight of training compensation and solidarity payments, key mechanisms intended to protect youth development systems across global football.