A representation agreement is not paperwork to sign afterwards. The Agent Regulations make it a prerequisite for remuneration: services must be specified beforehand in a written agreement that remains valid when they are performed.

The mandate must be written and agreed in advance.

Essential clauses

  • The parties' identities. The agent is a licensed natural person. The client may be a player, coach, club or member association.
  • The scope. Describe services precisely. A general expression such as “career assistance” is not a sufficient description.
  • The term. The regulations govern duration. An excessive term or an invalid automatic renewal can undermine the agreement.
  • Remuneration. Specify the calculation basis, rate, payment dates and treatment of conditional payments. Check which fee limits apply in the relevant jurisdiction.
  • Who pays the fee. Specify the payer. The published regulations provide for employer payment on the player's behalf in certain cases involving annual remuneration of up to USD 200,000; verify the provisions applicable to the transaction.
  • Conflicts of interest. Potential conflicts must be disclosed and the required written consent obtained.
  • Minors. Legal representatives must be involved, and the relevant FIFA Guardians training requirements must be met before representation.
  • Termination. Grounds, notice periods and treatment of ongoing transactions.

Recurring mistakes

  • Signing after negotiations have started—the timing of the agreement can be checked.
  • Omitting conditional payments, a frequent source of later disputes.
  • Copying a foreign template without checking the applicable national law.
  • Failing to keep the signed version and preceding correspondence.

An essential caution

This page is educational. It does not replace review by a sports lawyer who can assess the interaction between FIFA regulations and the national law governing your contract. The course module 3 devotes two full lessons to representation agreements and contract validity.