FIFA Code of Ethics

What is the FIFA Code of Ethics?

The FIFA Code of Ethics is more than just a set of rules; it is a comprehensive guide regulating the conduct of individuals involved in all aspects of global football. It aims to promote fairness, transparency, and ethical standards in the governance and competition of football.

At the heart of the FIFA Code of Ethics are the fundamental values of sport: honesty, integrity, and fair play. It covers a wide range of topics, including corruption, fraud, match-fixing, discrimination, and conflicts of interest. By upholding these principles, FIFA seeks to preserve the reputation and credibility of global football.

What is the FIFA Code of Ethics composed of?

As seen above, the FIFA Code of Ethics lists the standards and expectations in the ethical domain of football. The FIFA Code of Ethics is a document that includes several sections:

• The first part covers the scope.
• After the scope, the FIFA Code of Ethics includes substantive law:

1. Basis for sanctions
2. Disciplinary measures
3. Determination of sanction
4. Statute of limitations
5. Code of conduct
   1. Duties
   2. Conflicts of interest, financial benefits, and protection of personal rights
   3. Forgery, abuse of power, gambling, and betting
   4. Corruption, misuse and misappropriation of funds, and match-fixing in football

• Next in the FIFA Code of Ethics is the most important part: Organisation and procedure. This part is divided into several sections and chapters:

Chapter 1: Organisation

1. Competence of the Ethics Committee
2. Common provisions concerning the investigatory and adjudicatory chambers

Chapter 2: Procedure

1. Procedural rules
2. Investigatory procedure
3. Adjudicatory procedure
4. Appeal and review
5. Provisional measures

• The FIFA Code of Ethics concludes with a final part that gathers the concluding provisions.

What to know before reading the FIFA Code of Ethics

Before delving into the details of the FIFA Code of Ethics, it is essential to understand certain key definitions and terms used:

• Official: any board member (including the members of the Council), committee member, referee, assistant referee, coach, trainer or any other person responsible for technical, medical or administrative matters in FIFA, a confederation, a member association, a league or a club as well as all other persons obliged to comply with the FIFA Statutes (except players,match agents licensed by FIFA, and football agents).
• Match agent licensed by FIFA: as per the FIFA Match Agent Regulations.
• FIFA event: any event, including but not limited to FIFA Congress, Council or committee meetings, FIFA competitions, as well as any other event that is within FIFA’s authority or organised by FIFA.
• Ethics Committee: references to the Ethics Committee in this Code shall include the investigatory and/or adjudicatory chamber.

The main definitions of the FIFA Code of Ethics include other terms that are necessary to know for optimal understanding. You can find all these definitions on page 7 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

Evolution of the FIFA Code of Ethics

The FIFA Code of Ethics undergoes changes over the years, such as the addition or modification of new articles on important subjects.

In its commitment to promote transparency in its activities, FIFA publishes reports on the activities of the Ethics Committee and the disciplinary committee.

The disciplinary and ethical report published in 2023 provides a comprehensive overview of the activities of both branches of the Ethics Committee. One is responsible for investigating potentially illegal, immoral, or unethical behavior by individuals involved in football, while the other is tasked with imposing appropriate sanctions when suspicions or accusations are substantiated.

With a FIFA Code of Ethics that can evolve from year to year, preparation for the player agent exam could also follow these developments.

FIFA Code of Ethics: Preparation for the Player Agent Exam

Now that you know the composition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, it is important to understand that this FIFA Code of Ethics must be learned if you want to prepare for the FIFA player agent exam in the best possible way.

With FIFA increasingly emphasising its commissions that regulate the conduct of individuals involved in all aspects of global football the FIFA Code of Ethics is an integral part of the FIFA player agent exam. During the agent exam, you may have questions about certain FIFA circulars or the FIFA disciplinary code, for example, as well as questions about the FIFA Code of Ethics.

It should be noted that all course content available at the SportsAgent Institute is built around the FIFA player agent exam regulations.

You will therefore find questions about the FIFA Code of Ethics on our platform!

Discover right now typical questions extracted from our SportsAgent Institute platform, related to the FIFA Code of Ethics, which you will be able to find in the player agent exam.

Questions on the FIFA Code of Ethics

To help you practise, here is a set of three questions drawn from the FIFA Code of Ethics, similar to those you will encounter in the official exam.

Q1. Who does the Code apply to?

1. Only officials and players
2. Only officials and football agents
3. Only players and match agents licensed by FIFA
4. All officials and players, match agents licensed by FIFA, and football agents, under the conditions of Article 1 of this Code.

Explanation: 4) The Code applies to all officials and players, as well as match agents licensed by FIFA, and football agents.

Q2. In what circumstances may the procedural costs be reduced or waived?

1. In exceptional circumstances, in particular taking into account the party’s financial circumstances.
2. In cases involving financial fraud
3. In cases involving high-profile individuals
4. In all circumstances

Explanation: 1) The procedural costs may be reduced or waived in exceptional circumstances, particularly taking into account the party's financial circumstances (Article 58).

Q3. When can notification of a decision be made via the FIFA webpage?

1. When the whereabouts of the party are unknown
2. When service is impossible or would lead to exceptional inconvenience
3. When a party has not provided a means of contact
4. All of the above

Explanation:  4) Notification of a decision via the FIFA webpage is allowed in cases where the whereabouts of the party are unknown, service is impossible or would lead to exceptional inconvenience, or a party has not provided a means of contact (Article 43).

Looking for more questions? You can find more questions on this topic on this page.

Additional Resources to the FIFA Code of Ethics

To prepare for the agent exam, the FIFA Code of Ethics is not enough. By completing mock exams, you can test your knowledge and identify the areas that need improvement before the official test. You should also explore other key resources and official documents that will help you feel fully prepared on exam day.

Download the FIFA Code of Ethics PDF

Thorough preparation for the FIFA exam requires a deep understanding of the FIFA Code of Ethics as seen previously.

To download the FIFA Code of Ethics PDF: FIFA Code of Ethics

Exam study materials

The FIFA Code of Ethics is an essential document, but it must be accompanied by all other articles, circulars, present in the study material for the FIFA exam.