Doha: The Disciplinary Committee of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) has upheld a protest by Al Shamal Club, ruling that Qatar SC must forfeit their Week 17 postponed match in the 2025-2026 Doha Bank Stars League with a 3-0 scoreline and pay a fine of QR10,000.
The decision follows Al Shamal’s official protest letter No. 394/2026, submitted on April 14, 2026, concerning an alleged violation during the match played on April 13, 2026, at Al Bayt Stadium. Qatar SC had originally defeated Al Shamal 2-0 while playing with 10 men after a red card.
The committee accepted the protest both in form and substance, determining that Qatar SC breached player participation regulations when substituting a player after one of their foreign professionals received a red card.
According to Article (2/First/15) of the Players’ Status Regulations for the 2025-2026 season, if one of the six foreign professional players on the field is sent off, a team cannot replace one of its five Qatari or resident players with another foreign professional. The side must continue the match with only five foreign professionals.
The ruling is also based on Article (1/61/b), which states that a club committing any violation of participation regulations during a match shall be penalised with a forfeit and a fine not exceeding QR100,000. The committee imposed the minimum fine of QR10,000 in this case.
This outcome significantly impacts the standings in the Doha Bank Stars League. The awarded 3-0 victory to Al Shamal adjusts the points from the original result, adding a new twist to the title race as both clubs remain in contention ahead of the final rounds.
The decision underscores the QFA’s strict enforcement of squad composition and substitution rules designed to maintain balance between Qatari and foreign players in the league.
Al Shamal, who had finished the match on the losing side despite Qatar SC’s numerical disadvantage, expressed satisfaction with the ruling. Qatar SC now faces the consequences of the administrative error, which occurred in a high-stakes rescheduled fixture.
The QFA Disciplinary Committee’s verdict is final unless further appeal procedures are pursued under the association’s regulations.
This case serves as a reminder to all clubs of the importance of strict compliance with player eligibility and substitution rules, particularly in matches involving red cards and foreign player limits.
