The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) has been ordered by the FIFA Football Tribunal to pay former national team coach Andy Morrison a penalty of USD 144,516.13 (approximately Rs. 48 million), along with five percent interest per annum, following the early termination of his contract.

Morrison was appointed as Sri Lanka’s head coach on May 11, 2022, under a three-year agreement. However, his contract was terminated by the FFSL in August 2024, with the federation citing a lack of commitment and unsatisfactory results as reasons for the decision. Morrison was subsequently replaced by Abdullah Al Mutairi, who took over coaching duties ahead of Sri Lanka’s matches in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification play-off round against Cambodia.

After his dismissal, Morrison brought the matter before the FIFA Football Tribunal, which ruled partially in his favor. The tribunal ordered the FFSL to compensate Morrison for lost earnings as a result of the contract breach. The federation was also warned that failure to comply with the compensation order could result in FIFA withholding 20 percent of upcoming FIFA Forward development fund installments to the FFSL.

Although the tribunal’s decision was issued in February 2026, the FFSL initially kept the ruling confidential. The case came to public attention following a leak, and after the FFSL reportedly failed to meet the payment obligations, FIFA imposed funding restrictions on the federation in April 2026.

In response, FFSL President Jaswar Umar stated that the federation had requested FIFA to make the payment to Morrison on its behalf and subsequently deduct the amount from the FFSL’s future funding allocations. Umar confirmed the decision not to challenge the ruling, citing the high costs associated with legal representation at the tribunal. He reiterated the federation’s rationale for Morrison’s termination, emphasizing concerns over results and perceived lack of commitment.

Under Al Mutairi’s leadership, Sri Lanka’s national team has reportedly improved its FIFA ranking and is aiming to reclaim the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship title, which the country last won over three decades ago.