Brazil’s Botafogo hit with FIFA transfer ban over unpaid Almada fee

Brazilian club Botafogo were hit with a three-window transfer ban by FIFA on Wednesday for a debt relating to the signing of Argentinian international Thiago Almada from MLS club Atlanta United.

The US club filed a complaint with FIFA, claiming $21 million in unpaid transfer fees owed by Botafogo, who signed the World Cup winner in 2024.

The sanction was posted on FIFA’s Registration Ban list and takes effect on December 31, 2025.

Almada, 24, won the Brazilian championship and Copa Libertadores with the Rio de Janeiro club, which then loaned him to French club Lyon in January 2025, before selling him to Atletico Madrid in July.

Botafogo, a club purchased by US businessman John Textor in 2022, said in a statement that they are in contact with Atlanta United to try and reach an agreement.

“Talks have been put on hold due to the holiday season and will resume soon,” the club wrote, saying they hoped to resolve the situation “before the opening or at the start of the next transfer window” in January.

Textor owns both Botafogo and Lyon through his Eagle Football Holdings conglomerate, which also held a minority stake in Premier League club Crystal Palace until earlier this year.

Botafogo and Lyon are both embroiled in legal issues related to debts.

Palace were demoted from the Europa League to the Europa Conference League this season due to Textor’s involvement with both them and Lyon — who had also qualified for UEFA’s secondary competition but maintained their place having finished higher than the Eagles in their domestic league last season.