Royal AM have been kept locked out of the transfer market gates again with the FIFA ban now threatening their stay in the Betway Premiership as they return to action this week.
Thwihli Thwahla have won just once in 12 games across all competitions this season and now have a relegation dogfight.
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The KwaZulu-Natal club sits second from bottom with eight points and will play the remainder of the season minus experienced striker Mxolisi Macuphu, who has left.
Worse is that title-chasing Orlando Pirates will be their opponents on Thursday (19:30) at Harry Gwala Stadium in their first game this year.
According to the latest FIFA registration bans list, which is updated weekly, Royal AM remain caged and with the domestic window closing on January 28, it could be the same again.
The more recent of the cases that has brought them all these transfer ban troubles involves Ricardo Nascimento.
He took up his contract dispute against Royal AM to FIFA in 2023 after failed attempts to resolve the matter amicably with the club at the end of his 15-month stay.
The world football governing body then ruled in favour of the former Mamelodi Sundowns star with an award of R600 000 (effective September 2023 with an interest of 5% per annum).
Four months later, Royal AM still didn't comply with the FIFA ruling, which ordered them to pay, and were thus then subsequently handed a three-window transfer ban on January 15, 2024.
Should they not pay upon the end of this transfer window, Nascimento's legal team has indicated that they will consult FIFA for further disciplinary measures to be imposed.
The agent who negotiated Nascimento's deal – Marcelo Robalinho – has also entered the fray in complicating the case with a claim of 6% commission, which he wasn't paid when the Brazilian moved from Sundowns to Royal AM at the beginning of 2022.
Robalinho claims he had an agreement to be paid his fees by the club.
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Royal AM have another case for a significantly bigger amount relating to Samir Nurkovic also still hanging.
They have been ordered to pay what now amounts to approximately R11,1 million plus all other related costs.