FIFA Lifts Ban on Duhok FC

Duhok FC's media office officially announced that the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has lifted the sanction imposed on the club concerning Tunisian professional player Sharki Al-Bahri.

The club stated: "FIFA has lifted the ban on Duhok FC regarding the case of professional player Sharki Al-Bahri." This decision allows the club to register new players for the upcoming season in the Iraqi Premier League.

The lifting of the ban represents a significant relief for Duhok's management, which had been prohibited from registering any new players due to outstanding payments owed to Sharki Al-Bahri.

The team can now freely enter the summer transfer market and register new signings in preparation for the 2025/2026 Iraqi Premier League season, having finished last season in tenth place with 50 points.

Sharki Al-Bahri is a Tunisian midfielder who previously represented Duhok. There were overdue financial obligations to the player that led to a complaint being filed with FIFA, resulting in a registration ban until the issue was resolved.

Duhok's management has been working to settle the financial matter with the player and provide proof to FIFA, prompting the international federation to issue the lifting decision.

The club, which is the second largest in the Kurdistan region after Erbil, has faced several sanctions over the past two seasons.

1. *Fan Penalties*: The club faced fines and crowd bans due to incidents during matches against Erbil, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, and Zakho, including a notable fine of 25 million dinars and a one-match crowd ban due to misconduct in the Erbil match.

2. *Disciplinary Penalties*: Fines were imposed on the coach, players, and officials amounting to 10 million dinars.

3. *Relegation Threat*: The Iraqi Football Association previously threatened to relegate the team to the first division due to a withdrawal from the league in a previous season, but the club reversed that decision.