São Paulo FC faces FIFA transfer ban over unpaid Lazio fee

FIFA has imposed a transfer ban on São Paulo FC because the club has not paid the first €1 million installment due to Italian side Lazio for the permanent acquisition of midfielder Marcos Antônio. The sanction bars the club from registering any new players with the Brazilian Football Confederation until the debt, part of a €4 million total owed to Lazio, is settled.

As a result, recent signings such as Portuguese right‑back Aurélio Buta, forward Victor Sá and prospective defender Domingos Duarte remain unregistered and unavailable for matches. Only midfielder Newton, whose deal with Botafogo was completed before the ban, is eligible to play in the upcoming league fixture against Athletico‑PR on Wednesday in Bragança Paulista. The club’s management is seeking resources to clear the debt and lift the ban as quickly as possible.