FIFA has cleared Lameck Banda to play for Al-Swehly after the regulatory compliance body rejected the FIGC (Italian Football Federation)’s request to cancel his transfer to the Libyan club following a contractual dispute with US Lecce.
Banda’s International Transfer Certificate (ITC), an official electronic document issued by one national football association to another to facilitate a player’s move between clubs in different countries, has been delivered to Libya, meaning the Zambian winger is now free to play for his new club.
According to BolaNews sources, Banda signed for Al-Swehly before Lecce announced that it had exercised an extension option on his contract.
Al-Swehly argued that Banda was “a player who was free of contract and that his engagement with Lecce expired by its own term on 30 June 2026.”
Al-Swehly responded to Lecce
The Libyan side, which is preparing to compete in the CAF Champions League, disclosed that it signed Banda on 25 July 2026 and that he “was bound to no one”.
Sources also say Al-Swehly responded to Lecce’s demand for compensation that they never had a bilateral binding agreement with Banda for the 2026/2027 season.
“There is, accordingly, no new agreement. No addendum. No renewal. And No signature of Mr. Banda on any instrument extending anything. No consent, express or implied, to remain with your club after 30 June 2026 on the conditions of 2022. A player does not consent to a fifth year by being handed a letter about your unilateral call option and signing to acknowledge receipt of the exercise of a right given to you with no new financial terms, no consideration, and no counter-party to that right; and a club does not create a contract by announcing one on its website or registering it unilaterally with the FIGC,” argued Al-Swehly.
However, despite FIFA rejecting the FIGC’s request to block Banda’s transfer to Libya, it is understood that Lecce will pursue the matter further as the Italian club is demanding compensation.
