I have previously devoted two separate articles to explaining the importance of FIFA’s two digital gateways, yet it seems the message has not resonated enough. With each passing day, I am increasingly surprised to find that many clubs—particularly in our region—have still failed to respond to the demands of this new era or to grasp the magnitude of the danger looming over them. Given the urgency and critical importance of this matter, I find myself compelled to shed light on it once again—perhaps as a final cry—on an issue that is truly existential and threatens the future of any complacent club.
“The Digital Court”: FIFA’s Justice Will Not Knock Twice
Globally, professional clubs have bid farewell to the era of ad hoc email correspondence with FIFA’s judicial bodies. Since May 2023, the FIFA Legal Portal has become the one and only exclusive arena for all legal proceedings. It is the mandatory platform through which complaints are filed, disputes are managed, and decisions are delivered.
The catastrophe lies in this simple fact: any club that fails to register and monitor its account on a daily basis is effectively choosing to close its eyes and ears—by its own will—to its legal affairs. Such a club will not be aware of claims filed against it, will not receive notifications, and will suddenly find itself facing devastating sanctions such as transfer bans or points deductions, without ever having afforded itself the opportunity to defend its position. The age of excuses is over; FIFA’s digital justice will not knock on your door twice.
The Clearing House: The “Financial Brain” That Rewards the Diligent
On the financial front, FIFA has launched its most precise and effective weapon: the FIFA Clearing House. This independent institution, operating from Paris, represents the new “financial brain” of world football. Its mission is both simple and ruthless: to ensure absolute transparency and to distribute solidarity contributions and training compensation to those who rightfully deserve them.
Whenever a player is transferred, the Clearing House automatically deducts the relevant amounts from the buying club and distributes them with meticulous accuracy to all clubs that contributed to the player’s development.
Real-Life Stories: Rewards for the Committed, Sanctions for the Negligent
This is not merely theoretical rhetoric; reality clearly demonstrates that we are facing a system that is reshaping the rules of the game. On one hand, there are lesser-known clubs that have finally seen the light thanks to the Clearing House. Club Sportivo Obrero in Paraguay, for instance, received funds owed to it for the first time in its more-than-century-long history following the transfer of one of its former players. Similarly, Tamale Zaytuna FC in Ghana confirmed through its president that “everything has become clear and transparent,” after collecting their dues had once been nearly impossible.
These funds—amounting to hundreds of millions globally—are a lifeline for thousands of small clubs around the world.
On the other hand, the list of sanctions continues to grow. In November 2025 alone, FIFA imposed transfer bans on clubs such as Golden Arrows of South Africa and Al-Anwar of Libya due to unresolved financial disputes. These sanctions are the inevitable consequence of ignoring decisions that are now communicated exclusively through the Legal Portal. Today, anyone can view this “list of shame” through a digital tool launched by FIFA, revealing the names of all sanctioned clubs in an unprecedented step toward full transparency.
Conclusion: A New World With No Place for Laggards
My final message to clubs still asleep at the wheel is this: this is no longer a matter of choice or luxury. FIFA has placed everyone before an undeniable reality—either immediately and fully integrate into this strict digital system, or face legal isolation and financial collapse.
Maintaining active accounts on both digital gateways, engaging with them on a daily basis, and appointing and training a dedicated staff member—preferably with a legal background—to manage them is no longer optional. It is the only lifeline for survival in a football world that is forcefully casting out anyone who falls behind the march toward governance, transparency, and accountability.
