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FIFA Agent Regulations & Disputes

Football agents operate in an increasingly regulated and legally uncertain environment. Representation agreements, commission structures, exclusivity, conflicts of interest, player mandates, club negotiations and regulatory compliance may all affect the agent’s ability to protect fees and enforce contractual rights.

The FIFA Football Agent Regulations introduced a new regulatory framework for football agents, including licensing requirements, representation agreement rules, disclosure obligations, restrictions on certain forms of representation and rules affecting service fees. However, following legal challenges in several jurisdictions, FIFA temporarily suspended certain FFAR provisions, including rules concerning service fee caps, client payments, timing of payments, double representation, disclosure, reporting and payment through the FIFA Clearing House.

This has created a complex legal landscape. While FIFA’s licensing framework and certain requirements concerning representation agreements remain applicable, several important FFAR provisions remain suspended, including Article 20 governing the jurisdiction of the FIFA Agents Chamber.

Consequently, agents and agencies cannot currently rely on the FIFA Agents Chamber as an available forum for commission and representation disputes under the FFAR. Particular attention must therefore be given to contractual jurisdiction clauses, applicable national law, arbitration agreements and the availability of other competent dispute-resolution bodies.

We advise and represent agents and agencies on the legal and practical consequences of this evolving framework. Our work includes reviewing and drafting representation agreements, advising on commission structures, mandate and exclusivity issues, regulatory compliance, jurisdiction clauses, conflicts of interest, disputes with players or clubs, and proceedings before FIFA, CAS, national tribunals or arbitral bodies.

Our approach is practical and protective: agent agreements should be enforceable, commercially clear and adapted to the current regulatory environment. In a period of legal uncertainty, agents should not rely on generic templates or assumptions about the FFAR. Each representation relationship should be reviewed according to the applicable rules, the relevant country, the date of the agreement, the parties involved and the likely dispute forum.

 

 

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    3 Things you should know about

    FIFA Agent Regulations & Disputes

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    • Are the FIFA Football Agent Regulations still in force?faq-plus-btn.svg

      Yes, but not in full. FIFA's licensing framework and certain requirements relating to representation agreements remain applicable. However, FIFA Circular No. 1873 introduced the worldwide suspension of several important FFAR provisions, including rules on service fees, payments, multiple representation and the jurisdiction of the FIFA Agents Chamber.

      The Court of Justice of the European Union delivered an important judgment concerning the FFAR in July 2026. However, that judgment should not be treated as automatically reinstating every suspended provision. Agents must consider FIFA's subsequent implementation measures, applicable national rules and the circumstances of each transaction.

    • Why are representation agreements so important?faq-plus-btn.svg

      A representation agreement defines the agent's authority, services, remuneration and contractual relationship with the client. It should clearly address the scope and duration of the mandate, exclusivity, commission calculation, payment triggers, termination rights, governing law and dispute resolution.

      Careful drafting is particularly important where an agent's entitlement to remuneration may arise after the mandate expires or where a player, club or competing agent challenges the contractual relationship. The agreement must also comply with the mandatory rules applicable to the transaction.

    • Where can football agents enforce unpaid commissions and contractual rights?faq-plus-btn.svg

      The appropriate forum depends on the representation agreement, the parties involved, the applicable regulations and the governing law.

      Following the suspension of Article 20 of the FFAR, agents cannot simply assume that the FIFA Agents Chamber is available to hear their contractual claims. Depending on the applicable jurisdictional framework, proceedings may instead be brought before CAS, a competent national tribunal, another arbitral body or an ordinary court.

      Clear jurisdiction and arbitration clauses are therefore essential to protecting agents' ability to recover unpaid commissions and enforce contractual rights.

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