Tashkent football club Bunyodkor, which once made Luis Felipe Scolari the highest-paid coach in the world, has fallen into severe financial trouble. The club failed to pay the 2026 installment of its debt to Brazilian legend Rivaldo, amounting to €1.5 million, on time.

Rivaldo's legal representatives demand immediate payment of the entire remaining debt, plus a 10% fine and 1% penalty for each month of delay. In 2023, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne ordered Bunyodkor to pay the debt. Later, the parties agreed on restructuring: the total debt was reduced to €7.5 million with annual payments until 2028 (€1.35 million principal + €150,000 additional payments per year).

Payments for 2024 and 2025 were made on time. However, due to financial difficulties, the club could not transfer the 2026 payment by the April 15 deadline. On May 6, Rivaldo's lawyers sent an official warning: if the debt is not paid within 48 hours, the discounts under the agreement will be canceled, and they will appeal to FIFA for the full amount plus penalties.

On May 14, FIFA sent an official warning to Bunyodkor: the debt must be paid within 30 days, or a transfer ban will be imposed. The club's press service stated that on May 7, 2026, the management of JSC Uzbekneftegaz and the Uzbekistan Football Association were notified of the situation.

According to a Kun.uz source, Bunyodkor's annual budget is 35 billion soums of state funds. The payment to Rivaldo for 2026 equals half that amount, but the state has not allowed using these funds to pay the Brazilian. Uzbekneftegaz, which previously sponsored the club, stopped financing football clubs on January 1 by government order and also refused to pay, stating that the debt is the club's own obligation.

Earlier, Kun.uz reported that hundreds of employees of the Bunyodkor stadium have not received salaries since December.

Source: kun.uz