Reform of the FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players: Work in Progress…

While since 2015 talks between FIFPro and FIFA on the reform of the transfer system of football players seemed closed and suspended to the handling of the complaint filed by FIFPro before the European Commission, discussions were back underway in April 2017 and should soon lead to changes in favour of professional players who suffer from unpaid bills. Other reforms concerning the transfer system could follow...

The Context

Since March 2014, FIFPro, the global football players union, has been negotiating with FIFA to reform the transfer system for professional football players. Indeed, for many years, Theo Van Seggelen, General Secretary of FIFPro, has been regretting the lack of respect of the clubs regarding their contractual obligations towards the players.

In 2015, these negotiations first reached a major obstacle when representatives of leagues and clubs refused to approve player protection proposals in the event of late payment of wages, or termination of their contract without just cause.

The talks, which were held at FIFA’s headquarters, have been postponed sine die. As a deadlock situation was then reached, FIFPro convened an extraordinary meeting of its Europe Division to deal with the issue. Players' unions from 29 European countries gathered on 28 and 29 January 2015 in Greece.

It is in this context that,...

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