Betway Premiership Club Golden Arrows Hit with FIFA Transfer Ban
- Golden Arrows has been hit with a FIFA-imposed three-window transfer ban, joining a growing list of South African clubs under sanctions
- TS Galaxy and Pretoria Callies are among clubs currently unable to register new players due to financial and regulatory breaches
- Ongoing appeals at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) show that South African clubs continue to face scrutiny over contractual disputes and compliance issues
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The Betway Premiership is once again facing the disciplinary spotlight, with Golden Arrows now joining the list of South African clubs hit by FIFA-imposed transfer restrictions.
Source: Twitter
FIFA has confirmed that clubs may be barred from registering new players if they breach financial regulations, fail to meet contractual obligations, or violate other compliance rules. Such sanctions are designed to promote transparency and accountability within the sport.
Golden Arrows among clubs facing registration ban
Golden Arrows’ three-window transfer ban officially took effect on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, preventing the club from signing players from other teams during the period unless the sanction is overturned. Pretoria Callies has also been added to the growing list of affected clubs.
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Efforts to obtain an official comment and statement from Arrows were fruitless, as by the time of publication, questions sent to them had not been answered.
See the tweet below:
TS Galaxy, previously the only Premiership side under FIFA sanctions since October, now shares company with Arrows. Earlier this season, Galaxy were cleared for five separate bans, enabling them to register numerous new signings, though a fresh case has since put them back under scrutiny.
Source: Twitter
Ongoing appeals and sanctions in South African Football
Galaxy has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding a dispute involving Liberian midfielder Jegbay Morris Konneh. Earlier this year, Konneh won his case at FIFA’s Dispute Chamber (DC) but requested a full explanation of the ruling and subsequently escalated the matter to CAS.
Another club, Unolia, has recently been added to South Africa’s list of teams under FIFA sanctions, highlighting ongoing governance challenges in domestic football. These measures aim to ensure clubs adhere strictly to regulations, protecting both players and the integrity of the Premiership.
The list of South African clubs still sanctioned includes defunct outfits like:
Cape Town All Stars
Witbank Spurs
Royal Eagles
BTM Sports
Pretoria Callies Still Banned
Meanwhile, Pretoria Callies, campaigning in the Motsepe Foundation Championship, are also banned from registering new players.
Royal AM were surprisingly removed from FIFA’s list of clubs facing registration bans in August 2025.
The club, which was expelled from the PSL during the 2024/25 campaign, had its 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.
Orlando Pirates’ complaint gains momentum
Briefly News previously reported that the saga involving Orlando Pirates and Saint-Eloi Lupopo in the CAF Champions League has taken a dramatic twist as fresh revelations emerge from insiders close to the investigation.
The Soweto giants formally complained about their preliminary-round exit, where both teams won 3–0 at home before Lupopo advanced on penalties.
Source: Briefly News
