FIFA is pressuring numerous European football clubs to pay outstanding transfer debts to Russian teams under the threat of severe transfer bans, forcing them to navigate a legal conflict with international sanctions, although the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has occasionally sided with the clubs.
FIFA is reportedly forcing European football clubs to settle outstanding debts with Russian teams, threatening multi-window transfer bans despite international sanctions.
Clubs like PSV, Atalanta, and Norwich have received ultimatums to pay within 45 days. European sides claim payments are legally impossible, but FIFA has systematically ruled that “a contract must be respected.”
The legal conflict was highlighted by the West Ham United case, which was ordered to pay CSKA Moscow €26 million.
The club won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which suspended the payment, calling it “objectively impossible.”
However, most clubs “caved in” and paid under the enormous pressure of a ban
.