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2026-07-28 22:24 UTC → 2026-07-31 20:45 UTC ·
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Zamalek club financial Zamalek's transfer ban, CAS appeal, and regulatory issues contract moves
In early July the Egyptian Football Association’s Player Affairs Committee ruled that former striker Ahmed Said “Zizo” had no outstanding financial claim against Zamalek, overturning earlier reports of an £80 million debt. Senior players pressed the club to clear all overdue wages before pre‑season training, while Zamalek’s legal adviser maintained that Zizo had been fully paid and any further grievance would go to the appeals board. The club said it was raising liquidity and considering an extraordinary General Assembly to create a separate football company. By late July the club settled forward Saif al‑Din Jaziri’s salary and announced he could leave for Club Africain if a concrete offer arrived, emphasizing the need for a financial return before his contract expires. Performance analyst Fabio Nuno posted a farewell video after the recent league title, and Zamalek reiterated its ongoing negotiations to settle past debts in order to preserve its CAF licence and full player‑registration rights. On 22 Throughout July 2026 Zamalek completed payments continued to resolve the claim address a series of financial and regulatory challenges. After settling claims from former striker Ahmed Said “Zizo”, former striker Ibrahim Naddai, transferring a $1.7 million settlement (40 % lump‑sum, the balance in four monthly installments). The club also settled Naddai and an $800,000 obligation transfer fee to Ukrainian side Oleksandriya linked to Oleksandriya, the transfer of midfielder Juan Alvina, and club prepared documentation for CAF and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) documentation to confirm the settlements, further clearing files needed for preserve its African competition licence. On 23 July 2026 the board licence and denied rumours of an $8 million licence payment. It also lodged a formal complaint with Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation against a TV presenter for alleged defamation. On 28 July the club renewed striker Ayman Amir Hisham, alleging defamatory remarks about Abdel Aziz on a four‑year deal, keeping the club’s financial integrity and warning of player despite an existing transfer‑registration ban. Zamalek’s legal action department began compiling a comprehensive file for the International Sports Court, seeking to lift or reduce the sanction from two registration periods to one, following the recent removal of a case from FIFA’s public list. A further development arrived on 31 July when CAS scheduled a hearing for 25 August to review Zamalek’s appeal against media figures who exceed permissible criticism. In FIFA’s sanctions in the same statement Konrad Michelak case. FIFA had ordered the club denied rumours of an $8 million lump‑sum licence payment, confirming that outstanding obligations are being addressed through instalment arrangements with creditors. to pay $525,000 in overdue wages and $210,000 in compensation, imposing a three‑period transfer ban. Zamalek aims to have the ban lifted to register new players in the summer window. The hearing also brings renewed scrutiny to former sporting director John Edward, whose tenure, while marked by a league title, has been criticised for extensive legal disputes, high‑value contracts and delayed player payments.