UTA Arad: Players reveal contract abuses and unpaid salaries at Romanian Liga 1 club

FIFPRO

10/09/2025

Former players of UTA Arad are still waiting for the Romanian top flight club to pay salaries and bonuses from the 2024/25 season
“I didn’t receive a single payment from the club in 2025,” says one player still waiting for five months’ salary
Football governing bodies could intervene towards the Romanian football federation if the latter repeatedly fails to implement a club licensing system that protects basic employment rights

More than 10 professional footballers are owed months of unpaid salaries by Romanian top flight club UTA Arad.

The players, most of whom hail from outside Romania and were released by the Liga 1 side at the end of the 2024/25 season, have filed individual cases with the FIFA Football Tribunal, specifically its Dispute Resolution Chamber, to recoup the sums owed to them.

Some players are still waiting to be paid five months’ worth of wages and bonuses. These cases are now pending at the FIFA Football Tribunal.

"I didn’t receive a single payment from the club in 2025 – this is not normal," one player told FIFPRO. "Payments were always late and my last salary came in October."

UTA Arad 1 — A player from UTA Arad in action

'We were told the money would come and to focus on the games'

The players have shared their accounts with FIFPRO to warn fellow professionals about the realities some footballers faced at the Romanian club.

"Throughout the season we were told by the sporting director ‘your money will come next week’, but it never did," one player revealed. "Eventually, they paid the players who stayed at UTA past the 2024/25 season, but not those who were released."

Another player said: "Sometimes the coach would say one thing and the sporting director would come two days later and say a different thing. We were confused all the time. We were told the money would come eventually and to focus on the games ahead."

Last season UTA Arad finished three points off the relegation play-offs and stayed in Romania’s top league. The club’s management made verbal promises of contract extensions to several players who were eventually released.

"When UTA Arad were fighting to stay in the division, the club’s management called me and several players to say: 'we want you to stay next season'.

"Perhaps it was motivation – or a distraction – from the fact the club owed us money, to keep us focused on staying in the league. But after the club secured their place in the league, we didn’t hear back from them."

UTA Arad 3 — Francisc von Neuman Stadium, home of UTA Arad

'When you tell these clubs you intend to go to FIFA, they don’t care'

The players’ story is just one of many highlighting how football’s judicial system is often stacked against footballers: the onus is on the players themselves to chase and recoup the money they have rightfully earned via FIFA’s legal frameworks, while the club is able to operate as usual.

Football governing bodies could intervene towards the Romanian football federation if the latter repeatedly fails to implement a club licensing system that protects basic employment rights.

Some of the players revealed this was not the first case of non-payment they experienced at a Romanian club.

"FIFA, UEFA and the Romanian football federation need to be stricter – it’s too easy for clubs in some countries to not pay players and get away with it," said one player. "Even when you tell these clubs that you intend to go to FIFA, they don’t care. That’s the problem. The club is still in the league, they can still make transfers. For the club, nothing has changed. But for the players, we’re still without the money we’re owed."

UTA Arad 4 — UTA Arad players involved in a pre-match huddle

"When you have a contract, normally it has to be respected by both parties," said another. "We speak about mental health a lot in football now and players are relying on that money to support their families."

Another player said: "Some players don’t know the route to take to get their money. If other players are in this position, they should speak to FIFPRO or their player union, who can help with advice."

FIFPRO and the Romanian Players Association (AFAN) are available to support any further players that may require legal advice and support.

According to AFAN, UTA Arad have now filed for credit protection with a commitment to draw up a schedule to pay creditors including former players; under the schedule, payments could be staggered over the next two to three years.