FIFA to lift Saudi club Al Nassr’s player registration ban when debt to Leicester is paid

Cristia Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr will have its FIFA ban on registering new players lifted when it settles a debt with Leicester, soccer’s governing body said Thursday. Al Nassr was ordered to pay English club Leicester 460,000 euros ($513,000) plus annual interest of 5% in an October 2021 ruling by a FIFA-appointed judge at its players’ status committee.

Leicester filed complaint in April 2021 because of unpaid additional clauses due from 18 million euros ($20 million) sale of Nigerian forward Ahmed Musa in 2018. Currently, Al Nassr which was taken under majority ownership last month by $700 billion sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund can still buy new players though t register m to play.

“ club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts,” FIFA said Thursday. “ relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon settlement of debts being confirmed by creditors concerned.”

Al Nassr’s signing of Ronaldo as a free nt in January sparked an unprecedented spree of spending by clubs in Saudi Pro League, with four w majority-owned by PIF. fund is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Al Nassr signed Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozović this month from Inter Milan in a transfer reportedly valued at 18 million euros ($20 million). Musa left Al Nassr in 2020 and played last season with Sivasspor in Turkey.