FIFA slaps Etoile Sportive du Sahel with three-window transfer ban over unpaid Omija feeTunisian giants Etoile Sportive du Sahel have been hit with a three-window registration ban by FIFA after failing to settle a Ksh.5.1 million transfer fee owed to Kenya Premier League champions Gor Mahia FC following the transfer of Harambee Stars defender Alphonse Omija.

The sanction, communicated through FIFA’s legal portal on April 30, 2026, follows months of non-payment despite a clear ruling by the FIFA Football Tribunal ordering the Tunisian club to honour its financial obligations.

Omija completed his move to Etoile on September 9, 2025, in a deal that required the Tunisian side to remit the agreed transfer fee upon issuance of the International Transfer Certificate (ITC). The ITC was issued by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on September 11, effectively clearing the centre-back to join his new club.

Gor Mahia subsequently raised an invoice on September 15, expecting prompt settlement as per the agreement. However, payment was not forthcoming. By October 12, 2025, the amount had become overdue by more than 30 days without any prima facie contractual justification from Etoile.

With efforts to secure payment proving unsuccessful, Gor Mahia formally lodged a complaint with FIFA on January 26, 2026, seeking intervention. The matter was reviewed by the FIFA Football Tribunal, which on March 11, 2026, ruled in favour of the Kenyan club. The tribunal ordered Etoile to pay the outstanding transfer fee together with 5 per cent interest per annum. The ruling also stipulated that failure to comply within 45 days would trigger a registration ban.