Soccer player rights: everything the club is not going to tell you

Football players have rights. It sounds obvious, but in practice many footballers — especially young ones — do not know their rights and accept situations that FIFA regulations expressly prohibit. Clubs that do not pay salaries on time, that terminate contracts without just cause, that force players to take pregnancy tests, that prevent a player from choosing their own agent, or that retain players without giving them playing time.

The RETJ (Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players) and the RFAF (Regulations for Football Agents) establish a protection framework for players that is stronger than most believe. The problem is that few players know it — and clubs have no incentive to explain it to them.

This article is the guide that every player should read before signing their first contract.

What this article covers

Your right to be paid on time
What to do if the club doesn't pay you
Your right to freely choose your agent
Your right to negotiate without an agent
Protection against unfair termination of contract
Rights of players: pregnancy, maternity and menstrual health
Your right to be registered and play
Protection against involuntary doping and discrimination
How to complain to FIFA

Your right to be paid on time

Art. 14bis of the RETJ:If a club owes you more than2 months salary, you can terminate your contract for cause — after sending written notice giving the club15 daysto regularize payments. If the club does not pay within that period, the termination becomes effective and you are entitled to compensation.

This is probably the most important and most violated right in world football. Many clubs — especially in lower leagues and in countries with unstable economies — fall behind on payments for months, and players don't know they have the right to leave for cause.

What you should know:

The"grace periods"(clauses that give the club more time to pay)are not recognizedby the RETJ (art. 14bis, section 6), unless they are in a valid collective agreement
You don't need to wait 6 months or a year —2 months lateare sufficient
The 15-day notice ismandatory—you can't leave without giving it
If the club pays within 15 days, the termination is void
If the club does not pay, you have the right tocompensationand to sign up for another club outside the transfer windows

Your right to freely choose your agent

In accordance with art. 18, section 2 d) ofRFAF, the clubscannot interfere or influencein the freedom of the player to select the football agent to represent him. This means that:

The club cannot force you to use a specific agent
The club cannot make your signing conditional on you using "its" agent
The club cannot induce you to breach yourrepresentation contractwith your current agent
If a club tells you "the transfer is only made if your agent is so-and-so", that is a violation of the RFAF

You also have the right to negotiate without an agent.In accordance with art. 12, section 12 of the RFAF, clients have the right to negotiate and formalize a transaction without the mediation of a football agent. If you do not have an agent or prefer to negotiate alone, the club must accept this — and this must be explicitly reflected in the employment contract.

Protection against wrongful termination

Your contract can only be terminated byexpiration of the term or by mutual agreement(art. 13 of the RETJ). If the club terminates your contract unilaterally without just cause, you have the right to:

Indemnificationcalculated in accordance with art. 17 of the RETJ (residual value of the contract, pending salaries, and potentially an additional bonus)
Registration in a new club outside the transfer period— FIFA can authorize your emergency registration
Sports sanctions for the club(possible ban on registering new players)

If you are the one who terminates without just cause, the consequences are different — but if you do so within the "protected period" (the first 2-3 years of the contract, depending on your age), the sanctions can include a 4-6 month suspension. Check out the article ontermination of contract without just causefor more details.

Rights of players: pregnancy, maternity and menstrual health

The RETJ has a specific protection framework for female players that is one of the most advanced in professional sport:

Law	What the RETJ establishes
Pregnancy tests	The validity of the contractcannot be subordinatedto a pregnancy test or its results (art. 18quater, par. 1). They can't force you to get one.
Termination due to pregnancy	If a club terminates you for being pregnant, it istermination without just cause. The club must pay compensation (residual value + 6 months of additional salary) and is prohibited from registering players for 2 consecutive periods (art. 18quater, sections 2-3).
Continue playing during pregnancy	The player has the right to continue playing and training if she wishes. The club must develop a plan for you to participate safely, prioritizing your health and that of the baby (art. 18quater, section 4 a).
Maternity leave	14 weekspaid rest (2/3 of salary). The player decides when the drop starts. 8 weeks must be after childbirth (art. 18, section 7).
Adoption leave	From 2 to 8 paid weeks depending on the age of the child (art. 18, section 7).
Parental permission	8 paid weeks for non-biological mothers (art. 18, section 7).
Reinstatement	Right to resume activity withfull salary. The club must facilitate the incorporation with a postpartum plan and medical support (art. 18quater, par. 5 b).
Breastfeeding	The player must be able to breastfeed or express milk. The club must provide a suitable location. The reduction of working hours due to breastfeeding cannot reduce salary (art. 18quater, section 6).
Menstrual health	Right to be absent from training or matches for reasons of menstrual health, upon presentation of a medical certificate. Full salary (art. 18quinquies).

If the legislation of your country offers more favorable conditionsthan those of the RETJ (for example, a longer maternity leave or a higher salary during the leave), more favorable conditions prevail. The same applies if there is a collective agreement with better terms.

Your right to be registered

If you signed a contract with a club, you have the right to be registered with the corresponding federation during the transfer window (art. 5 of the RETJ). A club that hires you but does not register you is preventing you from playing — which may constitute a contractual violation.

If your contract expired or was terminated by mutual agreement before the closing of the registration window, you can register with a new club even after the closing (art. 6, par. 3 b of the RETJ). The same applies if the club terminated you without just cause.

Your right to contractual freedom

In accordance with art. 18, section 3 of the RETJ, a professional player has thefreedom to sign a contract with another clubif your current contract has expired or will expire within the next6 months. This means that you can negotiate with other clubs during the last 6 months of your contract without your current club being able to prevent this.

If a club wants to hire you, they must communicate their intentionin writingto your current club before starting negotiations. Any violation of this rule is subject to sanctions.

Protection against discrimination

The FIFA Disciplinary Code prohibits any act ofdiscriminationby race, skin color, ethnic origin, nationality, social group, sex, disability, language, religion, political opinion, sexual orientation, or any other reason. If you are a victim of discrimination — whether by teammates, rivals, coaching staff, managers or fans — you have the right to report it. Check out our article ondiscrimination and racism in football.

How to complain to FIFA

If a club violates your rights, you can file a complaint with theFIFA Football Tribunal(Dispute Resolution Chamber) if the dispute is international in nature. If the dispute is national, you must go to the dispute resolution body of your local federation.

What you should do to protect yourself

Read your contract before signing it.And if you don't understand it, ask for independent legal advice — your agent has the obligation to suggest it to you.
Documents everything.Keep copies of your contract, salary slips, communications with the club, and any relevant documents. If a dispute arises, the burden of proof is essential.
Do not accept "verbal agreements."If it is not in writing, it does not exist. The RETJ requires that contracts be written and that the conditions be clear.
Know the deadlines.If the club owes you wages, you have 15 days' notice before you can terminate. If you want to complain to FIFA, there are statutes of limitations. Act fast.
Seek professional help.A sports lawyer or alicensed agentcan guide you better than any article. Especially if you are facing an unfair termination or prolonged non-payment.
Contact the players union in your country.FIFPRO and its affiliated unions (such as Agremiados in Argentina, AFE in Spain, PFA in England) offer free or subsidized legal assistance for professional players.

This guide is based on the RETJ (July 2025, arts. 5, 6, 13, 14, 14bis, 17, 18, 18quater, 18quinquies), the RFAF (December 2024, arts. 12, 18), the FIFA Disciplinary Code (September 2025), and the FIFA regulatory framework for players and coaches (July 2024). This guidance is informative and does not replace the advice of a specialized attorney.

If you are building your career in professional football,create your profile in Futbol CV—knowing your rights and having professional visibility are the two most powerful tools you can have.

Soccer player rights: everything the club is not going to tell you