Commercial Bank of Ethiopia coach criticizes league spending rules

Commercial Bank of Ethiopia head coach Betselot Leulseged has lamented the regulation that puts a budget cap on Ethiopian Premier League clubs. The league introduced the cap last season and revised the regulation over the summer, but some clubs remain dissatisfied with the outcome.

The one-time Ethiopian champions were not active in the transfer market. According to the revised regulation, every Ethiopian top-flight club may not spend more than 70 million birr (USD $484,185) on monthly salaries. This is a 20 million birr increase from last season, but some clubs want the regulation revised again.

Leulseged stated that his club is struggling to sign new players. “We are struggling to sign new players. I have no idea how the other clubs are signing new players.”

Leulseged also noted that with the league and the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) failing to uphold the regulation, the top flight could be expanded to 22 clubs next season. “Next season the league will be played between 22 clubs.”

His remarks were directed at the league and the EFF after they declared there would be no relegated teams in the 2024/25 season. The league penalized four clubs for third-party payments and nullified their results. Nonetheless, none of the guilty clubs were relegated.

The 2025/26 season will kick off in October in Addis Ababa and Adama, with 20 clubs divided into two groups.