FIFA discusses new regulations with agent associations around the world

FIFA held a two-day meeting with agent organizations from the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe in Montevideo, as part of the consultation process on the regulations it is preparing to regulate its activity and which it plans to approve this year.

Leaders from the Football Intermediary Agents Union of America, the European Football Agents Association, the African Football Agents Association and the Asian Football Agents Association participated in the talks.

FIFA explained that the meeting confirmed that several of the proposals presented by the agents had already been incorporated into the new legal framework that regulates their activity.

These include the creation of the Chamber of Agents, aimed at specific disputes, the limitation of licenses exclusively to natural persons, the payment of fees through the FIFA Clearing House, the imposition of sanctions on those clients to work with unlicensed agents and the establishment of a specific working group made up of representatives of professional interest groups and agent organizations that are recognized by FIFA.

According to FIFA, the attendees recognized that “it is necessary to raise the bar of the ethical and professional quality of your activity”, they highlighted that several of their proposals are reflected in the third draft of the regulations and underlined the need for FIFA to implement programs to promote the comprehensive development of its members.

The head of the Department of Agents of the FIFA, Luis Villas-Boas Pires, thanked the participating agent associations for “the extremely positive conversations held”.

“The common denominator has been the shared goal of raising the ethical and professional quality of this occupation, protecting the players and promoting the stability and solidarity of contracts. Ultimately, it is about protecting the integrity of the sport and ensuring the smooth running of the transfer system.“, he claimed.

The regulations to regulate the activity of agents is part of the reforms undertaken by FIFA since 2017 and is part of the establishment of a fairer and more transparent transfer system, within the action plan of the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino , “The 2020-2023 vision″.

In December 2021, the FIFA distributed among football stakeholders the third draft of the new document with the aim of gathering a final round of opinions, approving this regulation and ensuring its entry into force during the current year.

The regulatory framework on football agents proposed by the FIFA This is in line with the European Parliament Report on EU Sports Policy and the Council of Europe Report on Football Governance, which have recently recognized and endorsed FIFA’s work to modernize the current transfer system.