FIFA bans Fenerbahçe from signing players over unpaid Sevilla fee for En-Nesyri

FIFA has banned Fenerbahçe from registering new players for three transfer windows after Sevilla filed a complaint over an unpaid installment from Youssef En-Nesyri's move to Istanbul. The Moroccan forward was sold to the Turkish club in the summer of 2024 for 19.5 million euros, and the Andalusian side took the case to world football's governing body over a payment that was due on April 30 and amounted to 3 million euros.

• FIFA has hit Fenerbahçe with a three-window transfer registration ban.
• The Istanbul club owed Sevilla 3 million euros for En-Nesyri since April 30.
• Fenerbahçe claims the overdue installment has been paid and the next will be settled on Monday.
• The sanction will be lifted once the FIFA paperwork is completed.
• En-Nesyri has already left Fenerbahçe, moving to Arab football for 16 million euros.

FIFA hands Fenerbahçe a three-window transfer ban over En-Nesyri payment

Sevilla's complaint to FIFA has brought swift consequences for the Turkish side. The governing body imposed a sanction covering three transfer periods, which in practice would stop Fenerbahçe from strengthening its squad in the upcoming registration windows. The ban stems directly from the missed payment tied to En-Nesyri's transfer, with the outstanding amount due on April 30.

The Andalusian club did not sit back. Faced with silence from Istanbul, Sevilla escalated the case to FIFA to claim the 3 million euros from that specific installment, and the governing body ruled in its favor, triggering a punishment that has forced Fenerbahçe to react without delay.

The unpaid En-Nesyri installment Fenerbahçe owed to Sevilla

En-Nesyri's move to Fenerbahçe was completed for 19.5 million euros, a significant deal for Sevilla's finances. However, the staggered payment schedule eventually caused a problem: the installment due on April 30, worth 3 million euros, was not paid on time. That missed payment triggered the case opened by FIFA.

The Moroccan striker, meanwhile, is no longer part of the Turkish club. He was later sold to Arab football for a lower fee of 16 million euros, below what Fenerbahçe originally paid. Since no capital gain was generated in that deal, Sevilla is not entitled to any percentage from a future transfer.

Fenerbahçe commits to paying Monday to lift the FIFA transfer ban

Our club will make the payment ordered by FIFA's decision on the first business day (Monday) and, once the bureaucratic procedures before FIFA are completed, the transfer ban will be lifted.

Fenerbahçe responded to the news with an official statement acknowledging the sanction while trying to reassure its fans. In the message, the Turkish club says its current board settled the overdue installment after taking office and was awaiting FIFA's ruling before paying the next one. Specifically, it announced that the payment ordered by FIFA will be made on Monday, the first business day, with the goal of getting the ban lifted once the paperwork is completed.

The club also said it will transparently share its financial statements and obligations from the previous period during its Ordinary General Assembly. That move, according to Fenerbahçe, is meant to give peace of mind to members and the public at a delicate moment for the institution's image.

What the FIFA registration ban means for Fenerbahçe

The FIFA sanction, though harsh on paper, is temporary and reversible. Fenerbahçe made that clear in its statement by insisting the ban will be lifted as soon as the required amount is paid and the formalities before the governing body are closed. That means the block on registering new players should not drag on if the club follows through on its announcement.

Sevilla, for its part, will receive the money owed and keeps its claim as an effective way to defend its economic rights in international deals. The episode also serves as a warning to other clubs that delay installments: FIFA is willing to step in with hard-hitting sanctions when transfer payments are missed.

En-Nesyri leaves Fenerbahçe for Arab football without a sell-on gain for Sevilla

Youssef En-Nesyri left Sevilla in 2024 after several seasons at the Sánchez-Pizjuán, where he became one of the team's key attacking figures. His sale to Fenerbahçe for 19.5 million euros was a relevant source of income for the Andalusian club, but his later move to Arab football for 16 million left the operation without any profit for Sevilla. With no capital gain generated, the club will not receive any percentage from a future sale linked to the striker's rights.