FIFA, the international governing body of football, has enforced a transfer ban on Heartland FC, a team competing in the Nigeria National League (NNL). This penalty prohibits the club from acquiring any new players during the next three official transfer windows.
The ban was triggered by Heartland FC’s failure to settle outstanding payments owed to their former player, N’Goran Roland Adjourmani Koffi, who represented the club in the 2023-24 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
FIFA’s official notice to Heartland FC states that the transfer embargo will remain active until the club clears the debt owed to Koffi. This immediate sanction places significant pressure on the Owerri-based outfit, limiting their ability to strengthen their squad in upcoming transfer periods.
It is also worth noting that the Nigeria Football Federation‘s Players’ Status and Arbitration Committee (PSAC) had previously directed Heartland FC to honor outstanding payments to several ex-players, including Umah Johnson, Esobe Chukwudi, Ezekiel Bassey, and Ugochukwu Leonard, among others.