This article refers to the following FIFA regulations:
- Articles 12 and 14 of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR)
Table of contents
A representation agreement establishes the legal relationship between a football agent and a client for the provision of football agent services, which may begin only after a valid written agreement has been signed. Agreements involving minors are subject to additional requirements.
Required information and scope of services
A representation agreement is valid only if it is in writing and includes the following minimum information:
- The names of the parties.
- The duration of the agreement, where applicable.
- The agreed service fee payable to the football agent.
- A description of the football agent services to be provided.
- The signatures of the parties.
The description must define the scope of the services provided on the client’s behalf to conclude a transaction, such as a player’s transfer, registration or employment, or negotiations concerning a player’s or coach’s employment terms.
Before signing or amending an agreement with a player or coach, the football agent must advise them in writing to consider independent legal advice and obtain written confirmation that they have either obtained or declined that advice.
Duration and renewal
Agreements with players or coaches may last no longer than two years and cannot be renewed automatically, with any automatic extension clause treated as null and void. Continuing the relationship after expiry requires a new representation agreement.
The FFAR set no minimum duration for representation agreements and no maximum duration for agreements with clubs, member associations or single-entity leagues, leaving those parties free to agree the term.
Concurrent agreements and independent negotiation
A football agent may have only one representation agreement with the same player or coach at a time. Multiple agreements with the same club, member association or single-entity league are permitted where they concern different transactions.
Clients may negotiate and conclude a transaction themselves, in which case the relevant transfer or employment agreement must state that no football agent was involved. A clause preventing a player or coach from independently negotiating or concluding an employment contract, or penalising them for doing so, is null and void.
Service fee conditions
Service fees must be invoiced and relate to services agreed in advance under a representation agreement that was in force when the services were performed. Where expressly agreed, fees may remain payable after the representation agreement expires for as long as the employment contract negotiated by the football agent remains in effect. The current suspension of specified fee rules does not remove these conditions.
Ending a representation agreement
A representation agreement can end when its term expires, by mutual agreement or through termination for just cause. Either party may terminate for just cause where continuing the relationship cannot reasonably be expected in good faith; terminating without just cause can create liability for resulting damage. The termination arrangements and any outstanding obligations should be recorded, with independent legal advice considered before ending the relationship early.
Using FIFA’s representation agreement template
FIFA’s standard representation agreement template is available through the template request form.
The template does not account for additional national legal or regulatory requirements, so FIFA strongly recommends independent legal advice before its use. FIFA accepts no responsibility for use of the template or for compliance with national requirements beyond the FFAR.
Multiple representation and conflicts of interest
Article 12 paragraphs 8–10 establish a single-party representation model with a limited exception allowing a football agent to represent both an individual (player or coach) and the engaging entity in the same transaction, subject to the applicable requirements. These provisions are temporarily suspended and are not currently enforced by FIFA, although parties may incorporate them into their agreement, subject to applicable law.