Minors: scope

This article refers to the following provisions of the FIFA Regulations:

• Articles 19 and 19bis of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP)

A minor is a player who has not yet reached the age of 18 (cf. definition no. 11 of the Definitions section of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, hereinafter “the Regulations”).

From the age of ten, every international transfer of a minor player and every first registration of a minor player who is not a national of the country in which they wish to be registered is subject to the approval of the Players’ Status Chamber of the Football Tribunal (hereinafter “PSC”; cf. art. 19 par. 4 of the Regulations and FIFA circular no. 1468 of 23 January 2015).

The procedures for applying to the PSC to obtain approval for the international transfer or the first registration are managed through TMS (cf. art. 19 par. 5 of the Regulations and the Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal). Such applications must be entered in TMS by the Member Association concerned (cf. art. 19 par. 4 of the Regulations).

The objective of the system in place is to help protect minors and to ensure that the relevant provisions (cf. art. 19 of the Regulations) are applied correctly. The rules relating to the protection of minors are applicable to:

• every international transfer of a minor player;
• every first registration of a minor player who is not a national of the country in which they wish to be registered for the first time;
• both male and female players;
• both professional and amateur players; and
• 11-a-side football or futsal.

However, if a Member Association intends to register a player under the age of ten, no minor application is required. Before registering the player, the Member Association must nevertheless verify beyond all doubt that one of the exceptions under article 19 applies (cf. art. 19 par. 4 of the Regulations). For more information, see FIFA circular no. 1468 and art. 9 of the Regulations.

The rule

Under art. 19 par. 1 of the Regulations, international transfers of players are only permitted if the player is aged 18 or older.

Accordingly, unless one of the exceptions detailed below applies, art. 19 of the Regulations does not permit:

• the international transfer of minors; or
• the first registration of a minor in an association of a country of which they are not a national.

The exceptions

International transfers of minors and first registrations of foreign minors

The Regulations contain five exceptions to the rule preventing the international transfer and first registration of minors (cf. art. 19 par. 2 of the Regulations):

• The player’s parents are moving for a reason not linked to football or the player is moving for humanitarian reasons accompanied by their parents; or
• The player is over 16 and is moving within the territory of the EU/EEA or between two associations within the same country; or
• The player lives within 50 km of a border and the club is also within 50 km of that border; or
• The player is an exchange student undertaking an academic programme abroad; or
• The player is moving for humanitarian reasons without their parents.

First registration of a minor in an association of a country of which they are not a national

According to the so-called “five-year rule”, foreign children and youngsters born in the country of intended registration or those who have lived there for at least five years are excluded from the general rule contained in art. 19 par. 3 of the Regulations allowing the first registration of foreign minors only under exceptional circumstances (cf. art. 19 pars. 3 and 4 of the Regulations):

• A foreign minor who has lived continuously for at least five years in the country of intended registration.

See the Guide to Submitting a Minor Application for the full list of supporting documents required for each application type.

International transfer of a minor player

Subject to the exceptions listed in art. 6 par. 3 of the Regulations, the transfer instruction related to the international transfer of a minor player must be entered and confirmed in TMS during the new Member Association’s registration period. If the PSC accepts the minor application, the new Member Association may request the ITC and the transfer instruction can proceed to the next stage. For more information on this topic, see the section “The international transfer process”.