PETALING JAYA: Terengganu were in for a rude shock when they found themselves as one of the Malaysian football clubs listed under FIFA’s transfer ban.

But the Super League side have clarified that they had resolved the issue and believed the matter had been unnecessarily blown out of proportion.

Terengganu were the latest Malaysian club listed with six others in FIFA’s Registration Bans database for flouting rules.

In a statement released yesterday, the club admitted that they had a minor dispute with a former foreign official over a five-figure allowance payment but the matter had been settled last month.

“FIFA officially acknowledged the full resolution on April 21, 2025, and gave the claimant five days to confirm receipt of payment. That window has passed, and this issue should no longer be in question,” the statement read.

The club also stressed that the current transfer and registration window for the Malaysian League has yet to open, with the expected period falling between July and early August.

“Terengganu have acted swiftly to address the matter, well ahead of the upcoming transfer window,” the club added.

Before their clarification, Terengganu had made the FIFA list on April 14. Other clubs facing similar sanctions include Super League side Kelantan Darul Naim (banned since April 7), A1 Semi-Pro League outfit Putrajaya Athletics (March 14), as well as Sarawak United, Perlis FA, Melaka United, and Kelantan.

In response to the bans, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) have reminded affected clubs to resolve their outstanding issues before the club licensing deadline on May 10.

Acting MFL chief executive officer Shazli Shaik said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) would have notified all the clubs of FIFA’s decision and emphasised the importance for all the clubs to be compliant.

“FIFA would have informed FAM, who in turn would have issued directives to the clubs, including Terengganu, to settle their dues,” said Shazli.

“Our deadline is May 10 and if these clubs wish to register new players and maintain their licence to compete, they must do so quickly.”

Shazli said they would continue their efforts to support clubs in enhancing governance and professionalism.

“We’ve consistently educated clubs on licensing requirements and are committed to helping them transition towards privatisation. We hope to see real progress in the coming years,” he added.