FIFA, the world’s football governing body, has imposed a transfer ban on Nigeria National League (NNL) club, Heartland FC, preventing them from registering new players for three consecutive transfer windows.

The ban has been enforced due to the Owerri-based club’s failure to settle outstanding payments owed to their former player, N’Goran Roland Adjourmani Koffi, who played for Heartland during the 2023-24 NPFL season.

In a letter sent to the club, FIFA stated that the transfer ban will remain in effect until the full payment was made to Koffi. The ban takes immediate effect, putting Heartland FC in a precarious position for future signings.

It is noteworthy that the Nigeria Football Federation’s Players’ Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC) had previously directed Heartland to pay several of its former players, including Umah Johnson, Esobe Chukwudi, Ezekiel Bassey, Ugochukwu Leonard, and others, their overdue entitlements.