Labour Disputes
Texto da decisão
REF. FPSD-21364
Decision of the
Dispute Resolution Chamber
passed on 28 January 2026
regarding an employment-related dispute concerning the player
Thibaut Peyre
BY:
Michele COLUCCI (Italy)
CLAIMANT:
Thibaut Peyre, France
Represented by Diana Tesic
RESPONDENT:
Al Batin, Saudi Arabia
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REF. FPSD-21364
I. Facts of the case
1.
On 17 July 2024, the French player, Thibaut Peyre (hereinafter: the Player or the Claimant)
and the Saudi club, Al Batin (hereinafter: the Club or the Respondent) entered into an
employment agreement (hereinafter: the Contract) valid from 25 July 2024 until 31 May
2025.
2.
Art. 5 of the Contract provided, quoted verbatim:
“Article 5. Remuneration
5.1 Fixed monthly remuneration
The Club shall pay the following total net amount 212,362 USD as follows:
fixed advance payment to the Player for the season (2024/2025) (net of any taxes, bank fees and
foreign exchange charges) within thirty (30) days from the date of signing this Contract:
Payment type
Currency
Advance Payment
US Dollars
Amount
The Club shall pay to the Player an amount of 212,362 USD as salaries divided on the following
fixed monthly remuneration to the Player for the season (2024/2025) (net of any taxes, bank
fees and foreign exchange charges) after the end of each complete month:
Payment type
Currency
Amount
Monthly Salary
US Dollars
20.833
-The Club shall pay to the Player each monthly salary payment after the last day of each month
for a total of [10 months].
- if the season 2024/2025 got extended for any reason, the Contract shall be accordingly
extended with the same salary stipulated hereinabove.
5.2.Fixed financial payments
The Club shall pay the Above fixed financial payments to the Player (net of any taxes, bank fees
and foreign exchange charges):
The amounts provided for in article five are understood to be net of all types of taxes,
withholdings, income and payments on account, other deductions, rates and or any present or
future tax that will be applicable to said income in KSA, in such a way that the Club undertakes
to pay the Player the corresponding gross amount at all times so that the Equid amounts
committed to the Player in each case are reached. If the remuneration paid by the Club does not
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REF. FPSD-21364
reach the net amount committed in each case, the CLUB will proceed to indemnify the Player
with the additional gross amount sufficient to guarantee in any case the previously mentioned
liquid amount, also considering the corresponding taxation to the aforementioned additional
gross amount.
[Art. 5.5 is omitted for containing personal sensitive information.]
5.4 Non-monetary benefits/Benefits in Kind
The Club shall also provide the following non-monetary benefits.1benefits in kind to the Player
during the validity of the contract.
Non-monetary benefit /
Details
benefit in kind
Accommodation
Condition to be met (if
any)
Private Proper
Accommodation
Suitable Car
secured
Four Economy class round
trip ticket for the Player and
Secured
his family.
“
3.
Throughout his stay at the Club, the Player received the following payments:
- On 8 October 2024, the Player received an amount of EUR 18,791.31;
- On 17 December 2024, the Player received an amount of EUR 19,632.18;
- On 15 January 2025, the Player received an amount of EUR 20,089.68;
- On 21 January 2025, the Player received an amount of EUR 4,501.47; and
- On 17 June 2025, the Player received an amount of EUR 17,837.56.
4.
On 12 September 2025, the Player sent an email to the Club requesting a payment of USD
124,998.00 and granted the Club until 21 September 2025 to proceed with payment. On
the same day the Player sent a WhatsApp message to an alleged President of the Club.
5.
On 23 September 2025, the Player sent a notice of default to the Club requesting payment
of the amount claimed in his first default notice of 12 September 2025 and granted the
Club until 30 September 2025 to proceed with payment.
II. Proceedings before FIFA
6.
On 14 October 2025, the Claimant filed the claim at hand before FIFA. A summary of the
parties’ respective positions is detailed below.
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a. Position of the Player
7.
The Player alleged that he was owed USD 212,362 net under the Contract through
payments of 20,833 net monthly.
8.
The Player affirmed having received the following amounts, through irregular payments:
“a. 8 October 2024 - EUR 18,791 (salary of August 2024, equivalent to USD 20,833 at time of
payment, paid almost two months late).
b. 17 December 2024 - EUR 19,632 (salary of September 2024, equivalent to USD 20,833 at time
of payment, paid nearly three months late).
c. 15 January 2025 - EUR 20,089 (salary of October 2024, equivalent to USD 20,833 at time of
payment, paid nearly three months late).
d. 21 January 2025 - EUR 4,501 (partial salary of July 2024, equivalent to 5,208 USD at time of
payment, paid more than six months late).
e. 17 June 2025 – EUR 17,837 (salary of November 2024, equivalent to USD 20,833 at time of
payment, paid over six months late).”
9.
The Player submitted that as per the principle of pacta sunt servanda and art. 12bis RSTP,
the Club was obliged to pay him the whole amount due under the Contract. In that sense,
the Player claimed that USD 124,998.00 remained outstanding and should have been paid
by the Club.
10. The Player also alleged that the Club systematically disregarded its contractual obligations
towards the Player, while still hiring other players.
11. The Player therefore made the following request for relief, quoted verbatim:
“The Claimant, Mr Thibaut Aurelien Pierre Peyre, respectfully requests that the FIFA Dispute
Resolution Chamber render a decision with the following orders:
a. To declare the present claim admissible in its entirety.
b. To order the Respondent, Al Batin Football Club, to pay the Claimant the net sum of USD
124,998 representing outstanding contractual remuneration broken down as:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
USD 20,833 —31 December 2024;
USD 20,833 — 31 January 2025;
USD 20,833 — 28 February 2025;
USD 20,833 — 31 March 2025;
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REF. FPSD-21364
v. USD 20,833 — 30 April 2025; and
vi. USD 20,833 — 30 May 2025.
c. To order the Respondent to pay interest on the aforementioned sum at a rate of 5% per
annum, calculated from the respective due dates of each unpaid salary until the date of
effective and full payment, as compensation for the prolonged delay.
d. To grant the Respondent a final, peremptory deadline of 45 days from the date of notification
of the decision to fully comply with its payment obligations, failing which the subsequent
sanctions shall apply.
e. To order that, in the event of the Respondent's failure to comply with the decision within the
stipulated deadline, impose, under Article 12bis RSTP, a ban from registering any new players,
both nationally and internationally, shall be automatically imposed upon the Respondent for
a maximum duration of three entire and consecutive registration periods, to be implemented
at the formal request of the Claimant.
f. To forward the present matter to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for its consideration of
whether the Respondent’s conduct, particularly the registration of new players while in default
of its financial obligations to the Claimant, constitutes a separate breach of the FIFA
Disciplinary Code warranting additional sanctions.
g. Grant any further relief deemed just and appropriate by the Chamber.”
b. Position of the Club
12. In its reply, the Club acknowledged that the Player was entitled to a monthly salary of USD
20,833. However, the Club contended that it paid the Player one monthly salary out of the
claimed salaries, and thus, he was owed 5 monthly salaries instead of the 6 he claimed.
13. The Club submitted that it faced significant hardships which made it difficult to pay the
Player, but that this situation was out of his control.
14. The Club therefore made the following request for relief:
“We kindly ask the FIFA DRC to:
1. To confirm and rule that the Player is entitled to only five monthly salaries in the amount of
USD 104.165 only.
2. To reject the Player’s request to apply a 5% interest rate per annum as a result of the evident
force majeure.”
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REF. FPSD-21364
III. Considerations of the Dispute Resolution Chamber
a. Competence and applicable legal framework
15. First of all, the Single Judge of the Dispute Resolution Chamber (hereinafter: the Single Judge)
analysed whether he was competent to deal with the case at hand. In this respect, he took
note that the present matter was presented to FIFA on 14 October 2025 and submitted for
decision on 28 January 2026. Taking into account the wording of arts. 31 and 34 of the
January 2026 edition of the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal (hereinafter:
the Procedural Rules), the aforementioned edition of the Procedural Rules is applicable to
the matter at hand.
16. Furthermore, the Single Judge referred to art. 2 par. 1 of the Procedural Rules and observed
that in accordance with art. 23 par. 1 in combination with art. 22 par. 1 lit. b) of the
Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (hereinafter: the Regulations) (July 2025
edition), the Dispute Resolution Chamber is competent to deal with the matter at stake,
which concerns an employment-related dispute with an international dimension between
a French player and a Saudi club.
17. Subsequently, the Single Judge analysed which regulations should be applicable as to the
substance of the matter. In this respect, he confirmed that, in accordance with art. 29 of
the Regulations, the July 2025 edition of the Regulations is applicable to the matter at hand
as to the substance.
b. Burden of proof
18. The Single Judge recalled the basic principle of burden of proof, as stipulated in art. 13
par. 5 of the Procedural Rules, according to which a party claiming a right on the basis of
an alleged fact shall carry the respective burden of proof. Likewise, the Single Judge
stressed the wording of art. 13 par. 4 of the Procedural Rules, pursuant to which he may
consider evidence not filed by the parties, including without limitation the evidence
generated by or within the Transfer Matching System (TMS).
c. Merits of the dispute
19. Having established the competence and the applicable regulations, the Single Judge
entered into the merits of the dispute. In this respect, the Single Judge started by
acknowledging all the above-mentioned facts as well as the arguments and the
documentation on file. However, the Single Judge emphasised that in the following
considerations he would refer only to the facts, arguments and documentary evidence,
which he considered pertinent for assessing the matter at hand.
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i. Main legal discussion and considerations
20. The Single Judge then moved to the substance of the matter and took note of the fact that
the parties strongly dispute the amount of outstanding remuneration under the Contract.
21. The Player alleged that the Club failed to pay him his monthly salaries for December 2024,
January 2025, February 2025, March 2025, April 2025, and May 2025 for a total of
USD 124,998 net (6 months x USD 20,833 net).
22. The Club has acknowledged owing the Player 5 monthly salaries and confirmed that the
Player was owed a monthly salary of USD 20,833. However, the Club contended that it paid
the Player a monthly salary, and that its claim should be limited to USD 104,165 (5 x 20,833),
and that since it was under financial hardship, no interest should be applied.
23. In this context, the Single Judge acknowledged that his task was to determine the amount
owed to the Player.
24. The Single Judge recalled the longstanding jurisprudence of the Football Tribunal,
according to which, once a player claims that salaries have not been paid, the burden of
proof shifts onto the club to demonstrate that the salaries were paid. The Single Judge
found that, in the present situation, despite alleging having paid one monthly salary, the
Club did not provide any evidence to this effect, thus not meeting its burden of proof under
art. 13 par. 5 of the Procedural Rules.
25. Also, the Single Judge highlighted that, as per the longstanding jurisprudence of the
Football Tribunal, financial difficulties do not exempt clubs from complying with their
financial obligations. In that sense, following the principle of pacta sunt servanda, the Single
Judge decided to award the Player the full amount claimed plus interest at a rate of 5% p.a.
as per the longstanding practice of the Football Tribunal coupled with the specific request
for relief of the Player. As art. 5.1 and art. 5.2. of the Contract provided that the Player
would receive his salary net on the last day of the month, the Single Judge awarded interest
as from the first day of the following month.
26. Thus, the Single Judge took the decision to award the Player USD 124,998 net plus 5%
interest p.a that should accrue as follows:
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 January 2025;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 February 2025;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 March 2025;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 April 2025;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 May 2025; and
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 June 2025.
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ii. Art. 12bis of the Regulations
27. The Single Judge then referred to art. 12bis par. 2 of the Regulations, which stipulates that
any club found to have delayed a due payment for more than 30 days without a prima facie
contractual basis may be sanctioned, in accordance with art. 12bis par. 4 of the Regulations.
28. To this end, the Single Judge confirmed that the Claimant put the Respondent in default of
payment of the amounts sought, which had fallen due for more than 30 days, but failed to
grant the Club a 10-day deadline in either of the notices, thus not meeting the formal
requirements of art. 12bis, i.e., in both instances he granted the Club 7 days, thus the Single
Judge decided that no sanctions shall be imposed.
iii. Compliance with monetary decisions
29. Finally, taking into account the applicable Regulations, the Single Judge referred to art. 24
par. 1 and 2 of the Regulations, which stipulate that, with its decision, the pertinent FIFA
deciding body shall also rule on the consequences deriving from the failure of the
concerned party to pay the relevant amounts of outstanding remuneration and/or
compensation in due time.
30. In this regard, the Single Judge highlighted that, against clubs, the consequence of the
failure to pay the relevant amounts in due time shall consist of a ban from registering any
new players, either nationally or internationally, up until the due amounts are paid. The
overall maximum duration of the registration ban shall be of up to three entire and
consecutive registration periods.
31. Therefore, bearing in mind the above, the Single Judge decided that the Respondent must
pay the full amount due (including all applicable interest) to the Claimant within 45 days of
notification of the decision, failing which, at the request of the Claimant, a ban from
registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the maximum duration
of three entire and consecutive registration periods shall become immediately effective on
the Respondent in accordance with art. 24 par. 2, 4, and 7 of the Regulations.
32. The Respondent shall make full payment (including all applicable interest) to the bank
account provided by the Claimant in the Bank Account Registration Form, which is attached
to the present decision.
33. The Single Judge recalled that the above-mentioned ban will be lifted immediately and prior
to its complete serving upon payment of the due amounts, in accordance with art. 24 par.
8 of the Regulations.
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REF. FPSD-21364
d. Costs
34. The Single Judge referred to art. 25 par. 1 of the Procedural Rules, according to which
“Procedures are free of charge where at least one of the parties is a player, coach, football agent,
or match agent”. Accordingly, the Single Judge decided that no procedural costs were to be
imposed on the parties.
35. Likewise, and for the sake of completeness, the Single Judge recalled the contents of art.
25 par. 8 of the Procedural Rules and decided that no procedural compensation shall be
awarded in these proceedings.
36. Lastly, the Single Judge concluded his deliberations by rejecting any other requests for
relief made by any of the parties.
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REF. FPSD-21364
IV. Decision of the Dispute Resolution Chamber
1.
The claim of the Claimant, Thibaut Peyre, is accepted.
2.
The Respondent, Al Batin, must pay to the Claimant the following amount(s):
- USD 124,998 net as outstanding remuneration plus 5% interest p.a. as follows:
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 January 2025 until the date
of effective payment;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 February 2025 until the
date of effective payment;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 March 2025 until the date
of effective payment;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 April 2025 until the date
of effective payment;
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 May 2025 until the date of
effective payment; and
- 5% interest p.a. over the amount of USD 20,833 net as from 1 June 2025 until the date of
effective payment.
3.
Full payment (including all applicable interest) shall be made to the bank account indicated
in the enclosed Bank Account Registration Form.
4.
Pursuant to art. 24 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, if full payment
(including all applicable interest) is not made within 45 days of notification of this decision,
the following consequences shall apply:
1. The Respondent shall be banned from registering any new players, either nationally or
internationally, up until the due amount is paid. The maximum duration of the ban shall
be of up to three entire and consecutive registration periods.
2. The present matter shall be submitted, upon request, to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee
in the event that full payment (including all applicable interest) is still not made by the
end of the three entire and consecutive registration periods.
5.
The consequences shall only be enforced at the request of the Claimant in accordance
with art. 24 par. 7 and 8 and art. 25 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
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6.
This decision is rendered without costs.
For the Football Tribunal:
Emilio García Silvero
Chief Legal & Compliance Officer
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REF. FPSD-21364
NOTE RELATED TO THE APPEAL PROCEDURE:
According to art. 50 par. 1 of the FIFA Statutes, this decision may be appealed against before
the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the notification of this
decision.
NOTE RELATED TO THE PUBLICATION:
FIFA may publish this decision. For reasons of confidentiality, FIFA may decide, at the request
of a party within five days of the notification of the motivated decision, to publish an
anonymised or a redacted version (cf., art. 17 of the Procedural Rules Governing the Football
Tribunal).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Fédération Internationale de Football Association – Legal & Compliance Division
396 Alhambra Circle, 6th floor, Coral Gables, Miami, Florida, USA 33134
legal.fifa.com | [email protected] | T: +41 (0)43 222 7777
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