FIFA’s Football Tribunal has ruled in favor of Uganda Cranes striker Fahad Bayo in his employment dispute with Czech club MFK Vyškov, ordering the club to pay him $55,000 (approximately UGX 202.6 million) in compensation after terminating his contract without just cause.
In a decision formally communicated on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, FIFA determined that Vyškov’s termination of Bayo’s contract on July 7, 2024, was unjustified, despite the club’s claims that the player had repeatedly breached his obligations.
Bayo, who signed with Vyškov in September 2022, had a contract running from January 1, 2023, to May 31, 2025, earning $5,000 per month for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons.
The conflict began in January 2024, when Bayo missed training, citing illness but failing to provide medical proof.
Matters escalated in June 2024, when Bayo traveled for Uganda Cranes’ World Cup qualifiers and was scheduled to return on July 5, 2024.
The club later demanded that he return earlier, setting a June 30 deadline, but Bayo argued that changing his flight required additional costs, which he asked the club to cover.
Despite communicating his willingness to return on July 1, Bayo missed his flight on July 5, citing an accident. The club terminated his contract two days later and allegedly left him stranded in Brno, Czechia, without support.
After reviewing the case, FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) found that Vyškov failed to justify the termination and had not followed proper disciplinary steps before ending Bayo’s contract.
The tribunal ruled that the club must pay Bayo the remaining value of his contract—$55,000.
Furthermore, if Vyškov fails to pay within 45 days, FIFA will impose a transfer ban for three consecutive registration periods until the debt is settled.
However, Bayo’s request for $250,000 in moral damages was rejected, as FIFA found no legal basis for the claim.
Bayo was legally represented by Kajja Timothy, while Vyškov’s defense was led by Juan Manuel Lopez Ruiz.
Vyškov has the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days. If they do not appeal, they must comply with FIFA’s ruling or risk severe transfer sanctions.
For Bayo, the ruling clears the way for him to sign with another club, as FIFA also directed Vyškov to issue him an official release.
