John Textor is facing another storm in Brazil as FIFA intervenes in the high-profile transfer of Thiago Almada from Atlanta United to Botafogo. The American businessman, who oversees a multi-club project including Botafogo, Olympique Lyonnais and Crystal Palace, is again under scrutiny—this time for failing to settle one of his flagship deals from the 2024 summer window.
According to UOL Esporte, FIFA has officially sanctioned Botafogo for not paying Atlanta United for the transfer of Almada, who had joined the Brazilian club last year before being immediately loaned out to Lyon for the second half of the 2024/25 season. While the Argentine playmaker himself is not at fault, the financial structuring of the deal has come back to haunt Textor’s Brazilian outfit.
In February, FIFA had already ordered Botafogo to pay $10 million (€9.3m) to the MLS franchise following a complaint lodged by Atlanta United. However, the club failed to comply, prompting a second ruling from the governing body. This time, Botafogo have been told to settle the full $21 million fee (approximately €18.5m), plus $150,000 in interest, with immediate effect.
The deal was initially structured to be paid in instalments over a series of quarterly payments. However, Botafogo’s cash flow issues now make an upfront payment of such magnitude extremely problematic. The club intends to appeal the ruling, but risks further sanctions if the payment is not made—most notably a potential transfer ban.
