Grêmio Faces Fourth FIFA Transfer Ban in a Month
Grêmio has received its fourth transfer ban from FIFA within the last month, as reported by the website ge. This latest sanction places the club from Rio Grande do Sul alongside Santos and Amazonas as the Brazilian clubs most frequently penalized by the international football governing body due to unpaid debts.
The most recent penalty, which came into effect last Friday, prohibits Grêmio from registering new players for up to three transfer windows. The ban will remain in place until the club resolves its outstanding debt.
Prior to this newest sanction, Grêmio was already dealing with limitations stemming from other financial obligations. One significant issue involves midfielder Monsalve, who the club acquired from Independiente Medellín in early 2024 and is now on loan at Estudiantes. Another situation pertains to Cuéllar, a defensive midfielder who departed the club in February to join Deportivo Cali. Despite the termination of Cuéllar’s contract—originally set to last until the end of 2026—Grêmio agreed to pay him approximately R$15 million.
In addition to FIFA’s international penalties, Grêmio also contends with domestic issues. The National Agency for Football Regulation and Sustainability (Anresf), an independent entity created by the CBF to enforce Brazil’s newly established financial fair play regulations, has penalized the club as well. As a precautionary action, Anresf has imposed a temporary ban on Grêmio, restricting it from registering new signings without prior approval from the agency. Furthermore, a deadline has been set for the club to address its overdue payments. Non-compliance will lead to a R$100,000 fine and a transfer ban within the domestic market.
According to FIFA, the ranking of transfer bans among Brazilian football clubs is as follows:
- Grêmio, Santos, and Amazonas: 4 sanctions
- Internacional: 3 sanctions
- Corinthians and Fortaleza: 2 sanctions
- São Paulo, Figueirense, Atlético-GO, Colorado (PR), Miramar (PB), Retrô (PE), and Flamengo (SE): 1 sanction
