Barcelona banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows

FIFA has announced that Barcelona will not be able to sign players during the next two transfer windows, after they failed to comply to rules governing transfer of youths.

The world football governing body carried out an investigation last year and found the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Catalan club guilty of violating several rules that govern international transfers and registering foreign players.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) and Spanish club FC Barcelona for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18,” a FIFA statement read.

“The investigations concerned several minor players who were registered and participated in competitions with the club over various periods between 2009 and 2013.”

It added: “FC Barcelona has been found to be in breach of art. 19 of the Regulations in the case of 10 minor players and to have committed several other concurrent infringements in the context of other players, including under Annexe 2 of the Regulations.

“The Disciplinary Committee regarded the infringements as serious and decided to sanction the club with a transfer ban at both national and international level for two complete and consecutive transfer periods, together with a fine of CHF 450,000 [$508,000 or 368,000 euros].”