Accra Hearts of Oak have been handed a major setback after FIFA imposed a three-transfer window registration ban on the club for failing to pay former Technical Director Rene Hiddink $150,000.
In a letter dated August 21, 2025, FIFA’s Legal and Compliance Division confirmed the Phobians had ignored a previous ruling that gave them 90 days to settle the debt.
The sanction, signed by FIFA’s Head of Disciplinary Américo Espallargas, prevents the club from registering new players both locally and internationally until the payment is made.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has also been instructed to enforce the decision. FIFA stressed that while the ban cannot exceed three registration periods, it will remain in place until Hiddink is fully paid.
For Hearts of Oak, the penalty is a huge blow as the club battles to rebuild its status in Ghanaian football.
The inability to sign new players raises fresh questions about the club’s financial management and could derail their ambitions for the upcoming season.
The message from FIFA is clear: clubs that fail to honor financial commitments will face strict consequences. For Hearts, the only way out is to settle the debt.
