Barcelona transfer ban: What caused Fifa to ban Barcelona from signing any players until July 2015?

The reasons behind Fifa's ruling that both Barcelona and the Spanish FA have breached transfer and registration rules in regards to signing under-18 players

Lionel Messi remonstrates with the referee during Barcelona's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. (Getty Images)

Barcelona have been given a transfer ban for the next two transfer windows for breaching transfer and registration rules, and have been fined 450,000 Swiss francs, Fifa has confirmed.

But why has the Primera Division club been given the sanction?

Barcelona banned from making any signing in the next two transfer windows

The governing body issued a statement on Wednesday morning confirming that the Catalan club has imposed a transfer ban due to “the international transfer of minors”, as well as fining both the club and the Spanish FA.

Fifa rules state that an international transfer of an under-18 player can only be given the green light if one of the following conditions is met:

• The player's parents have moved country for their own, non-related reasons.
• The move takes place within the European Union if a player is aged between 16 and 18.
• The player's home is less than 50 kilometres from the national border being crossed.

Barcelona currently have three South Korean teenagers on their books, including the highly-rated Lee Seung Woo, as well as a number of African youth players.

They can appeal the decision, which would also postpone the ban until a decision is made on the appeal hearing.