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FIFA fines KFA, Gwangju FC for violating registration ban

Published: 14 Sep. 2025, 16:29

The Korea Football Association House in Seoul on Feb. 2, 2025 [YONHAP]

FIFA has penalized the Korean national football federation and a local club for the latter's violation of a player registration ban imposed last year.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Sunday that FIFA's Disciplinary Committee had fined the KFA 30,000 Swiss francs ($37,650) and the K League 1 club Gwangju FC 10,000 Swiss francs while also banning Gwangju FC from signing new players over the next two registration periods.

However, the imposition of the fine on the KFA will be suspended if it doesn't commit similar violations over the next year. For Gwangju FC, the ban on the second registration period will be suspended for a year. While they won't be able to acquire players during the first half of 2026, they will be able to do so in the latter part of the year, as long as they don't make another rules violation.

On Dec. 17, 2024, FIFA imposed a registration ban on Gwangju FC for their failure to pay $3,000 in FIFA solidarity contributions after signing forward Jasir Asani from Albania two years earlier. Such fees are distributed to players' former clubs where they trained from ages 12 to 23.

Gwangju FC players huddle up before the start of their K League 1 match against Gangwon FC at Gwangju World Cup Stadium in Gwangju on May 25, 2025. [YONHAP]

However, Gwangju FC did not learn of the ban until well after the fact because the KFA had forwarded FIFA's decision to a club employee on leave, and the email had not been shared with other Gwangju FC officials. Unaware of the penalty, Gwangju FC deployed newly signed players in the early portion of the 2025 K League 1 season, prompting some of their rival clubs to argue that all Gwangju matches had to be forfeited and declared 3-0 losses for the offending side.

FIFA lifted that ban in May this year after Gwangju FC made their payment. Before that decision, the KFA had decided not to penalize Gwangju FC and rule their new players ineligible because it would be "excessive" to hold the club accountable for "an unintentional administrative mistake."

However, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has determined that the KFA and Gwangju FC had "clearly violated" the initial FIFA registration ban.

FIFA also informed the KFA that it may appeal the ruling within five days of being notified of the decision, but the KFA said Sunday that it will accept the penalty and will shift its focus to improving its administration and operations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Yonhap