{"id":68966,"date":"2026-07-31T12:40:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T10:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fifa.sportsagentinstitute.com\/?p=68966"},"modified":"2026-07-31T12:40:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T10:40:45","slug":"ffar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fifa.sportsagentinstitute.com\/en-us\/blog\/ffar","title":{"rendered":"FFAR: Everything You Need to Know About the FIFA Football Agent Regulations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The FFAR (FIFA Football Agent Regulations)<\/strong> is today the reference text for anyone who wants to work as a player agent<\/a> on the international stage.<\/p>\n

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These regulations<\/strong> directly concern candidates<\/strong> for the FIFA agent exam<\/a>, since they set the conditions for entering the profession, but also every agent already in business<\/strong>, whose day-to-day work they govern.<\/p>\n

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Let's take a closer look at what the FFAR is<\/strong>, why FIFA chose to put it in place, and what it changes in practical terms for agents.<\/p>\n

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\"FFAR<\/figure>\n

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What is the FFAR?<\/h2>\n

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The FFAR<\/strong>, short for FIFA Football Agent Regulations<\/a><\/strong>, defines the rules governing FIFA agents<\/strong>. The text was initially approved by the FIFA Council on December 16, 2022, with a first set of provisions applicable as early as January 9, 2023.<\/p>\n

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Its rollout, however, was gradual, as FIFA subsequently adjusted the application of certain provisions following several legal disputes. The edition currently in force<\/strong>, the December 2024 edition, was approved on December 10, 2024, and has been effective since January 1, 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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These regulations govern the entire scope of a sports agent<\/a>'s activity at the global level<\/strong>, defining who may work, under what conditions, and according to which standards of conduct. In its December 2024 edition, the text is organized into eight chapters, from the general rules to the final provisions, covering access to the license<\/strong>, the exercise of the agent function, and the resolution of disputes.<\/p>\n

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The FFAR<\/strong> is part of a broader regulatory framework that every exam candidate must master, alongside other foundational texts such as the RSTP, the FIFA Disciplinary Code<\/a>, and the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal.<\/p>\n

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Why Was the FFAR Created?<\/h2>\n

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To understand why the FFAR exists<\/strong>, you have to go back ten years. Until 2015, FIFA already required agents to hold a mandatory license under the 2008 Players' Agents Regulations.<\/p>\n

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That same year, the federation opted for a partial deregulation of the profession with the Regulations on Working with Intermediaries. The license and the exam disappeared<\/strong>, replaced by minimum standards set by FIFA, which each national association then had to apply and enforce at its own level.<\/p>\n

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Following this deregulation, the market became competitive, conflicts of interest multiplied, and the commissions paid out skyrocketed, reaching nearly $654 million<\/strong> in 2019, roughly four times more than in 2015. FIFA itself acknowledged its error, with its legal director Emilio Garc\u00eda Silvero describing the 2015 deregulation as a \"mistake.\"<\/p>\n

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It was against this backdrop that FIFA began, as early as 2019, to consider re-regulating the profession, which led to the adoption of the FFAR at the end of 2022<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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What the FFAR Changes in Practical Terms for FIFA Agents<\/h2>\n

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The FFAR reshapes several aspects of an agent's daily work<\/strong>, whether they are already active or currently preparing for the license.<\/p>\n

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A Mandatory FIFA License<\/h3>\n

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To work, an agent must now obtain a license issued by FIFA<\/strong>, after a complete application, character requirements, and passing the FIFA agent exam<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

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An exam exemption was provided for agents holding a license obtained under the 1991, 1995, 2001, or 2008 editions of the FIFA Players' Agents Regulations<\/strong>, provided they submitted their application before September 30, 2023, and proved their activity as a registered intermediary between April 2015 and the approval of the FFAR.<\/p>\n

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This transition period is now closed, so the exam is henceforth a mandatory step for any new agent.<\/p>\n

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Once obtained, this FIFA license<\/strong> is valid worldwide, which allows a licensed agent to offer their services in any country. FIFA also recognizes, under certain conditions, the existence of national licensing systems, which makes it necessary to verify the compatibility between the FIFA framework and the rules applicable in the country concerned.<\/p>\n

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FIFA's Agents department handles license applications as well as the procedures for maintaining licensed agent status, and publishes a publicly accessible list of licensed agents.<\/p>\n

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A Formalized Representation Agreement<\/h3>\n

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The FFAR requires that a written representation agreement <\/strong>be concluded between the agent and their client before any service is provided, specifying the nature of the services provided and the terms of compensation.<\/p>\n

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This representation agreement<\/strong> may not exceed a duration of two years when concluded with an individual, whether a player or a coach. Any automatic renewal clause or extension beyond this limit is considered null and void.<\/p>\n

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Before signing or amending such an agreement, the agent must also inform the person being represented in writing that they should consider seeking independent legal advice, then obtain written confirmation that this advice has been sought or voluntarily waived.<\/p>\n

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A Cap on Commissions<\/h3>\n

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Article 15 caps the service fee <\/strong>received by an agent according to the type of client represented and the compensation level of the individual concerned. The cap ranges between 3% and 5% in most cases, up to 10% in cases of authorized dual representation or for a releasing entity on the transfer fee. This provision has long been one of the most contested before European courts.<\/p>\n

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport had already validated the legality, validity and proportionality of the regulation. The Court of Justice of the European Union in turn ruled on July 16, 2026, confirming that the capping of commissions<\/strong> could be justified under competition law.<\/p>\n

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A Ban on Multiple Representation<\/h3>\n

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An agent may no longer simultaneously represent the selling club, the buying club, and the player in the same transaction, except in certain limited cases and with the written consent of the parties concerned.<\/p>\n

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The regulations distinguish, in this respect, between so-called releasing entities and so-called engaging entities, with a club, a member association, or a single-entity league able to occupy one role or the other depending on the context of the transaction.<\/p>\n

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The same agent may nevertheless conclude agreements with the same releasing or engaging entity, provided that these agreements relate to distinct transactions.<\/p>\n

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An Agents Chamber to Settle Disputes<\/h3>\n

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The FFAR creates the FIFA Agents Chamber<\/strong>, a new body tasked with ruling on disputes related to representation agreements that have an international dimension. Here is how this new framework compares to the old intermediary system that emerged in 2015:<\/p>\n

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The FFAR Compared to the Old Intermediary System (RWI 2015)<\/h4>\n

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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Area<\/strong><\/th>\nRWI 2015 (intermediaries)<\/strong><\/th>\nFFAR (since 2023)<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
License<\/td>\nNot mandatory, simplified registration with the national association<\/td>\nMandatory FIFA license, issued after passing the exam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multiple representation<\/td>\nPermitted without strict limitation<\/td>\nProhibited, except for regulated exceptions consented to in writing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fees<\/td>\nIndicative, non-binding recommendation<\/td>\nCap of 3% to 10% set by Article 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dispute resolution<\/td>\nHandled at the level of each member association<\/td>\nFIFA Agents Chamber for disputes with an international dimension<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Continuing education<\/td>\nNot provided for in the text<\/td>\nMandatory each year to keep the license<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n

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The CJEU Ruling of July 16, 2026<\/h3>\n

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On July 16, 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered an eagerly awaited ruling concerning the FFAR, in the case opposing the agency RRC Sports against FIFA, on referral from the Regional Court of Mainz.<\/p>\n

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The Court confirms FIFA's authority to regulate the activity of agents and rules that the key elements of the regulation can be justified under competition law:<\/p>\n

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