Royal AM Removed from FIFA Ban List, But Legal Cloud Remains

• Royal AM, a club expelled from the PSL in the 2024/25 season, has unexpectedly been removed from FIFA’s registration ban list. This comes despite outstanding financial disputes involving former players Samir Nurkovic and Ricardo Nascimento
• FIFA and CAS documents reveal Nurkovic was only paid once (R245,943.91) during his stint at Royal AM, yet his full contract was worth over R15 million. The club failed to pay, resulting in a three-window transfer ban which they ignored
• While Royal AM is no longer on FIFA’s ban list, TS Galaxy remains sanctioned, unable to sign new players due to unresolved issues. Other defunct clubs like Cape Town All Stars and Royal Eagles also remain blacklisted

Defunct side Royal AM have surprisingly been removed from FIFA’s list of clubs facing registration bans , but their legal woes are far from over.

Former Betway Premiership outfit Royal AM, expelled from the PSL during the 2024/25 campaign, have had their name scratched off FIFA’s blacklist. The Durban-based club was initially sanctioned for failing to pay Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic and Brazilian defender Ricardo Nascimento.

Huge Debt Owed to Nurkovic

According to FIFA and a 21-page Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling obtained by KickOff, the club only paid Nurkovic R245 943.91 on 11 November 2022, despite signing a lucrative three-year deal. His earnings were structured as follows:

R5.04 million (July 2022 – June 2023)

R5.28 million (July 2023 – June 2024)

R5.52 million (optional third year)

Nurkovic’s claim was partially upheld, resulting in a three-window transfer ban imposed on Royal AM after the club failed to honour the award.

Nascimento’s case adds to sanctions

In a separate matter, Nascimento was awarded R600 000 plus 5% annual interest, effective September 2023. The club’s refusal to comply triggered another three-window ban. Royal AM disputed both rulings and opted against payment, escalating their disciplinary troubles.

Ongoing legal disputes

While FIFA has now removed Royal AM from its registration sanctions list, sources confirm legal proceedings are ongoing. It remains unclear whether the removal signals a resolution, a technicality, or a procedural delay.

The list of South African clubs still sanctioned includes defunct outfits like:

Cape Town All Stars

Witbank Spurs

Royal Eagles

BTM Sports

TS Galaxy and Pretoria Callies Still Banned

TS Galaxy are now the only active Betway Premiership club facing a transfer ban, with three-window sanctions currently in force — the most recent imposed in April 2025.

Meanwhile, Pretoria Callies, campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, are also banned from registering new players.

PSL to request promotion of three ABC Motsepe league clubs

Briefly News previously reported that Royal AM’s expulsion from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) was the result of severe financial troubles and governance failures, including a R40 million tax debt owed to SARS.

The club, placed under curatorship and suspended from competition, ultimately lost its top-flight status following a Board of Governors vote. In response, the PSL has proposed a restructuring of promotion by requesting SAFA to promote three teams from the ABC Motsepe League to fill the gap left by Royal AM.

Source: Briefly News