# The Business of Player Agents · Football Level 10: Professional

Football · Level 10: Professional · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/football/level-10/the-business-of-player-agents/)

The Business of Player Agents in Football (Level 10: Professional) on Insporta: 100 sourced facts behind 10 tests. Covers: from licensed agents to int.

Agents and the rules around them: from licences to intermediaries and back, FIFA's 2023 rules and the court fights, famous agents and deals, third-party ownership, families as agents, minors and the contested questions.

## Test 1: From licensed agents to intermediaries

- National associations ran the exams and issued the licences. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Intermediaries only had to register with the national association for each deal. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- FIFA estimated that only a minority of deals involved licensed agents. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- It was only a recommendation, and fees rose sharply in the years that followed. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- FIFA used that rise as a main reason to bring licensing back. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The first new exam was held in April 2023. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Agents are licensed and listed by FIFA, with national rules for domestic deals. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 1990s, 2015 and 2023. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Licensed agents must keep up professional development to keep the licence. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The word 'intermediary' covered anyone who registered to act in a deal. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 2: FIFA's Football Agent Regulations of 2023

- The cap was 5% for players earning less than that. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The caps aimed to stop fees swelling alongside record transfers. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Acting for all three, known as triple representation, is banned. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Clear records make hidden payments and conflicts of interest harder. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- A percentage of a very large salary produced fees FIFA saw as out of proportion. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Acting for seller, buyer and player at once is a clear conflict of interest. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The agreement sets out the fee, its length and the services provided. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 3% and 5% of the player's pay, and 10% of the transfer fee. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The fee must stay within the agreement and the caps in force. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The caps for the player's side were 3% or 5% of his pay. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 3: Agents' rules in the courts

- Agents' groups had challenged the rules before they took effect. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The German court treated the fee caps as a likely breach of competition law. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Agents argued that FIFA was using its dominant position to fix their prices. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- National courts can refer questions of EU law to it. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Rules that limit markets must be justified and proportionate. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The licence and exam requirements were not the target of the order; the caps were. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The court said rules on new competitions needed transparent and fair criteria. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- December 2022, April 2023, July 2023 and October 2023. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The European court interprets the law; the national court applies it. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Zurich is home to FIFA, Nyon to UEFA and Geneva to many other bodies. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 4: Famous agents

- He built his agency from Portugal into one of the most powerful in football. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Rafaela Pimenta, his long-time partner in the business, took over his clients. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Zahavi had built his name in English football in the 1990s and 2000s. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Barnett negotiated Bale's world-record move to Real Madrid in 2013. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Pimenta, a Brazilian lawyer, had worked with Raiola for decades. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The deal led to a Premier League fine for West Ham over third-party rights. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Pere Guardiola has represented players and later ran a football business. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 2003, 2013 and 2016. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 1990s, 2009, 2016 and 2022. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Many of his early clients came through Portuguese clubs. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 5: Big deals and their agents

- The figure emerged in the Football Leaks documents. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The €222 million clause was the largest ever paid. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Pogba's 2016 move then became the new record. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The fine was £5.5 million; West Ham were not docked points. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- That link is why FIFA set percentage caps rather than fixed sums. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Agents often negotiate it as part of the player's package. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Tax authorities watch these payments closely. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 2013, 2016 and 2017. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- In Spain, the clause is deposited with La Liga. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Pini Zahavi was among those who helped arrange his move to Paris. (Source: FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries (2015) and Football Agent Regulations (2023); CAS and court decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 6: How agents are paid

- Clubs paying for the player's agent is common, and tax rules treat part of it as a benefit. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- If the agent is really working for the player, the club is paying the player's costs. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The totals show how spending on agents has grown. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Tax authorities check that image payments are not disguised wages. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Clubs give mandates so agents can find buyers or targets on their behalf. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Many agents earn as much from renewals as from moves. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Large agencies now look after a player's whole career and image. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The agent's fee is usually settled once the main deal is clear. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The agent is paid under the mandate once the sale goes through. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Renewing a contract is a negotiation the agent is paid for, like a transfer. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 7: Third-party ownership and Football Leaks

- When the player was sold, the investor took a share of the fee. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- An investor wanting a return might push for a sale that suited him, not the player or club. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Selling a share early brought in cash that clubs could not raise elsewhere. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Doyen held shares in players including Radamel Falcao. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The challenge failed at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Published by European newspapers from 2016, they revealed contracts and hidden fees. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- He was convicted in Portugal in 2023, while the leaks had fed investigations across Europe. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- 2007, 2015 and 2016. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The ban ended new deals of this kind from 2015. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Existing deals were allowed to run their course; new ones were banned. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 8: Families as agents

- Keeping business in the family is common among the biggest stars. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- His father's company has handled contracts and commercial deals. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Mbappé's father coached him as a boy at AS Bondy. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The biggest contracts involve huge sums that families prefer to keep close. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Many families bring in lawyers and agencies to work alongside them. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Alf-Inge Haaland played in England in the 1990s and 2000s. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The dispute went before French football's bodies and the courts. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Debut in 2015, PSG from 2017 and Real Madrid from 2024. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- To 2013, 2013-17, 2017-23 and from 2023. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Erling Haaland was born in Leeds while his father played there. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 9: Agents and young players

- Rules on approaching minors try to limit this race. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Other exceptions cover players living near a border and moves within the EU and EEA from 16. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The club must also provide education and training on top of football. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Both the player's home and the club must be within 50 km of the border. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Academy scholarships usually start at 16. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Clubs must apply and show the move fits one of the exceptions. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Protecting education and family life is the stated aim. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Without approval, the player cannot be registered. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Scholarships usually start at 16 and professional contracts at 17. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The exception covers families near a border, such as France's with Spain or Germany. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)

## Test 10: Conflicts of interest and contested questions

- Some moves suit the agent more than the player; many do not. It depends on the case. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- The rules limit such dual roles for this reason. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Supporters of agents reply that they are paid for real work. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Without an adviser, a young player faces experienced club negotiators alone. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- They argued the market should set fees. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Leagues punish clubs, players and agents involved. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- FIFA's rules cover international deals; the FA regulates agents in deals within England. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Penalties can fall on the club, the player and the agent. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Personal terms often move in parallel, but the fee usually comes first. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)
- Chelsea, José Mourinho and Cole were all fined after a meeting with Cole and his agent. (Source: FIFA regulations; FA and Premier League rules and published figures; court and disciplinary decisions; contemporary reporting)

Sources: IFAB, FIFA and UEFA regulations and reports / club and federation statements / published coaching literature / peer-reviewed studies / contemporary reporting

Take the tests: https://insporta.app/try?utm_source=book&utm_medium=referral