The top football clubs in Bangladesh’s Premier League are facing a series of FIFA transfer bans one after another. Last week, Mohammedan Sporting Club received a transfer ban, and now their arch-rivals, Dhaka Abahani, have also been slapped with the same penalty. Another prominent club, Bashundhara Kings, has been hit with five separate bans from FIFA.
On 3 November, FIFA imposed a ban on Abahani regarding player registrations. Typically, foreign players and coaches approach FIFA when they are not paid the agreed-upon wages. FIFA then enforces a transfer ban on the club until the player or coach is paid or the relevant claim is withdrawn.
The 2024-25 football season has been a tough one for Abahani. The club had finalised contracts with foreign coaches and players, but these agreements were cancelled on 5 August. Since then, Abahani has played the first leg of the season without any foreign players, relying on domestic coach Maruful Haque. It is suspected that one of the foreign players may have filed a claim with FIFA. However, Abahani’s officials have not yet commented on the matter.
The start of the current domestic season itself was marred by FIFA’s transfer ban. Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club faced uncertainty over its participation in the Premier League due to unpaid dues to an Uzbek player. Once the dues were cleared, FIFA lifted the ban, and Fakirerpool continued playing. About a month later, FIFA imposed a transfer ban on Bashundhara Kings due to unpaid wages to their foreign players, including Romanian coach Valeri Tita. As a result, five separate bans have now been placed on the Kings.
In addition, Iranian footballer Maysem, who played two seasons ago, had also filed a claim with FIFA over a financial dispute with Mohammedan, leading to a transfer ban on them on 29 October. Since the transfer window for the Bangladesh Premier League has already ended, clubs like Mohammedan, Kings, and Abahani are not currently facing the complexities that Fakirerpool did. However, should any club wish to make player changes in the mid-season window, they will need to resolve their FIFA bans first.
Just six days after Mohammedan’s ban, Abahani has now joined the list. Currently, 11 clubs in Bangladesh’s football scene are under FIFA’s player registration ban. Bashundhara Kings lead the list with five bans, followed by Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club with three, and Mohammedan, Abahani, and Feni Soccer Club each with one.
FIFA Transfer Ban Overview for Bangladeshi Clubs
| Club | Number of Bans | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bashundhara Kings | 5 | Multiple unpaid wages to foreign players, including coach Valeri Tita |
| Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi | 3 | Ongoing issues with foreign players’ wages |
| Mohammedan Sporting | 1 | Dispute over contract violations with an Iranian player |
| Abahani Limited | 1 | Unpaid dues to foreign players/coaches |
| Feni Soccer Club | 1 | Unpaid dues issue |