American defender Reggie Cannon wins appeal, CAS overturns FIFA decision in dispute with Boavista
Colorado Rapids defender Reggie Cannon, left, knocks over Orlando City midfielder César Araújo in the second half of an MLS soccer match Saturday, June 14, 2025, in Commerce City, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
American defender Reggie Cannon has won his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which overturned a decision by FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber and will result in the player being owed money by Portuguese soccer club Boavista.
The court said Wednesday it had overturned FIFA’s decision last Thursday. CAS said the parties have a period of time to request the text of the decision remain confidential and that if they do not it will be published.
“The decision leaves Boavista liable for compensation,” Cannon said in a statement. “I wish my time there could have been different and didn’t have to end under such circumstances.”
Now 27 and a member of Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, Cannon transferred from Dallas to Boavista in September 2020 and agreed to a five-year contract with annual salaries ranging from 175,000 euros (then $207,000) for 2020-21 to 550,000 euros for 2024-25 (currently $645,000).
Cannon filed several notices of default in 2021 and 2023. Portugal’s arbitration commission in July 2023 decided he had the right to terminate the contract.
He terminated the agreement in June 2023, citing unpaid wages, and signed a four-year contract with Queens Park Rangers that September for salaries ranging from 180,000 pounds (then $220,000) for 2023-24 to 725,000 pounds (currently $685,000) for 2026-27..
Boavista claimed breach of contract and told QPR in December 2023 it was owed 2,107,425 euros (then $2.27 million). The Portuguese club filed a complaint with FIFA and Cannon filed a counterclaim.
A three-person FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber panel of Frans de Weger, Mario Flores Chemor and Roy Vermeer ruled in June 2024 that Cannon was owed 88,000 euros (then $94,000) by Boavista plus interest and that QPR owed Boavista 1,287,000 euros (then $1.37 million).
CAS said it annulled the decision, except for a small portion detailing the case history.
FIFA, Boavista and QPR did not respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment. Colorado was scheduled to play Los Angeles FC on Wednesday and said Cannon would not be available for comment until later this week.
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