FIFA imposes new Botafogo transfer ban over unpaid Ludogorets fee

Botafogo have been banned by FIFA from registering new players for three transfer windows after failing to settle a payment linked to the transfer of forward Rwan Cruz, a ruling that tightens pressure on the club’s cash management and short-term squad planning.The ban relates to money owed to Bulgarian side Ludogorets for Cruz, who joined Botafogo in 2025 for a reported €8m and has since been loaned to Real Salt Lake before returning on loan to Ludogorets.Botafogo said in a statement: “there are possibly similar sanctions that could arise soon”.The club did not detail other cases in that note, but the wording signals a risk that further disputes could reach FIFA, which would add uncertainty to recruitment, player trading and budget planning over the next registration cycles.The latest punishment follows a separate dispute last year linked to Botafogo’s obligations in the transfer of Thiago Almada from Atlanta United, when the club were also blocked from registering players until the issue was resolved.Domestic restrictions have also been reported alongside the FIFA sanction, with Botafogo said to be unable to register new players in Brazil for six months after a missed payment under an agreement that was reviewed by the CBF’s National Dispute Resolution Chamber.The new FIFA ban lands amid a wider ownership and governance dispute around Botafogo’s SAF and the broader Eagle Football structure linked to John Textor, which has played out in court and through shareholder intervention.Brazilian reporting said a court order has restricted Botafogo’s ability to sell players, tied to alleged non-compliance with a prior ruling that set conditions on asset sales and notifications to relevant parties.Textor has told stakeholders he planned to inject R$125m into the club, but a general assembly meeting scheduled this week was postponed, adding to the immediate uncertainty around decision-making and funding.Operational changes have also been reported at executive level, with Brazilian media saying the SAF’s finance director has left the club during the period when Botafogo are working to clear outstanding liabilities and avoid further registration restrictions.The most direct route to lifting the FIFA sanction is payment of the Ludogorets debt, after which the ban can be removed, while the broader commercial impact will depend on whether additional cases materialise and how quickly the SAF stabilises governance and cashflow.