Lameck Banda in Trouble as Lecce Reportedly Appeals to FIFA

09.08.2026 | Football DNA

Zambian international Lameck Banda is reportedly facing disciplinary action from Italian club Lecce after allegedly failing to return to Italy for pre-season training.

According to Football Italia, Banda, who remains under contract with Lecce until June 2027, has reportedly been absent from the club for about four weeks following his summer vacation.

The report says Lecce had previously warned that the player would face consequences for his absence, but the situation appears to have escalated, with Banda allegedly refusing to answer calls or respond to attempts by the club to contact him.

The situation reportedly took a new twist after Banda was allegedly spotted at a training camp in Cairo with Libyan club Al Swehli SC, which is preparing to participate in the CAF Champions League.

Al Swehli are reportedly interested in signing the Zambia international and are said to have offered him a two-year contract worth €1.6 million per season.

Lecce is reportedly taking the matter seriously and has appealed to FIFA, as well as the Zambian and Libyan football federations, reminding them that Banda remains under contract with the Italian club.

The report further claims that Al Swehli had previously made an offer of less than €1 million to Lecce for Banda, but the Italian club rejected the proposal.

Meanwhile, the version of events reportedly being put forward by Banda is that he was unaware when he signed his Lecce contract that it contained a unilateral extension option, which the club activated in June 2026.

The situation could now be heading for a legal and disciplinary battle involving Lecce, Banda, Al Swehli, FIFA and the relevant football federations, with the player's contractual status at the centre of the dispute.