Transfer windows: global calendar, rules and exceptions
Players cannot be signed at any time of the year. Professional football operates under a system of transfer windows — periods fixed by each federation during which clubs may register new players.
Understanding how these windows work, when they open and close in each league, and what exceptions allow players to register outside them is essential information for anyone who works in the football industry: players, agents, leaders and sports lawyers.
In this article I explain to you the FIFA regulation on registration periods (Article 6 of the RETJ), the real calendar of the main leagues of the world, the exceptions that allow to register outside the window, and the particularities that every professional of the football must know.
- What the RETJ says about enrollment periods
- Duration limits: 12 weeks, 16 weeks, 4 weeks
- Real calendar of major leagues (season 2025/2026)
- Differences between male, female and amateur football windows
- The 6 exceptions for registering outside the window
- How TMS works as a compliance tool
- Validation exceptions: what to do when the window closes
- Rules of the two clubs per season
What FIFA Says About Registration Periods
Article 6 of the RETJ establishes the rules that each member federation must respect when fixing its transfer windows. The central points are:
Two periods per season. Each association must fix two registration periods per season For professional players (Ap. 1). Associations can set different periods for male and female competitions.
Duration limits. The first period (summer window in Europe, starting season in South America) should last between 8 and 12 weeks. The second period (winter window) cannot last less than 4 weeks or more than 8 weeks. In total, both periods cannot exceed 16 weeks (Ap. 2).
For professional players, the first period has a higher limit: up to 16 weeks.
Advance publication. The dates of the periods of competition and registration must be entered in the TMS at least 12 months before (Article 8, paragraph 1, k of Annex 3). Once the registration period has begun, dates cannot be altered.
If an association does not communicate its datesFIFA will set them up on its own.
| Period | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| First period (summer/start season) | 8-12 weeks | Up to 16 weeks |
| Second period (winter/half season) | 4-8 weeks | 4-8 weeks |
| Maximum total per season | 16 weeks | 16 weeks |
Real calendar: the world's main leagues
FIFA publishes a world calendar of registration periods (Worldwide Registration Periods Calendar) regularly updated, where each member federation declares its dates. It is available to TMS users and is published on the FIFA portal.
Below are the reference dates of the major leagues for the 2025/2026 season:
| League | Summer Window 2025 | Winter window 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Premier League (England) | 1-10 Jun (exceptional Club World Cup) + 16 Jun – 1 Sep | 1 Jan – 2 Feb |
| The League (Spain) | 1 Jul – 1 Sep | 2 Jan – 2 Feb |
| Series A (Italy) | 1 Jul – 1 Sep | 2 Jan – 2 Feb |
| Bundesliga (Germany) | 1 Jul – 1 Sep | 1 Jan – 2 Feb |
| Ligue 1 (France) | 1 Jul – 1 Sep | 1 Jan – 2 Feb |
| Professional League (Argentina) | Check FIFA calendar (feb-dic season) | Consult FIFA calendar |
| Brazileirão (Brazil) | Consult FIFA calendar (abr-dic season) | Consult FIFA calendar |
Note: the dates of the European leagues correspond to the 2025/2026 season according to August 2025 sources and the FIFA calendar. South American leagues have different season calendars (they usually go from February/March to November/December) and their windows are consulted in the FIFA world calendar. Always check the current dates on the TMS or on the FIFA portal before planning an operation.
How TMS works as a compliance tool
The TMS is not just a registration platform — it’s a compliance instrument which ensures that transfers are made within the registration periods. The system works as follows:
- Each association introduces in the TMS the dates of its registration periods (for professional male, professional female and amateur competitions).
- The TMS takes into account the player status (professional or amateur) that select the clubs, plus the dates of the registration period of the new federation (the one of the contracting club).
- If the new federation requests a STI outside its current registration period, the TMS Stops automatically transfer with a validation exception.
The 6 exceptions for registering outside the window
Article 6, paragraph 3, of the RETJ establishes situations in which players are allowed to register out of registration periods:
| Derogation | Requirement |
|---|---|
| (a) Termination with/without justifiable cause | The player terminated with justifiable cause or was fired without justifiable cause. FIFA evaluates the situation prima facie. |
| (b) Contract terminated or terminated by mutual agreement | The contract was naturally terminated or terminated by mutual agreement before closure from the contracting club window. |
| (c) Maternity replacement | One player is enrolled to temporarily replace another on maternity leave, adoption leave or parental leave. |
| (d) Return of maternity leave | A player is registered outside the window after the end of her maternity leave, adoption leave or parental leave. |
| (e) Contract affected by COVID-19 | The contract expired or was terminated as a result of the pandemic (historic exception, residual application). |
| (f) FIFA Club Worlds | The competition regulations of the Club World Cup may provide for additional exceptions (such as the mini-window of 1-10 June 2025). |
The exception (b) is particularly relevant to free players: If your contract expired before the window closes, you can sign up for a new club after This gives you a temporary flexibility that the players under contract do not have.
When an association wants to register a player outside the window by invoking any of these exceptions and the TMS generates a validation exception, it must request FIFA to cancellation of the validation exception through the TMS, providing proof that it applies the corresponding derogation.
What if the window closes and you didn't complete the transfer
If the STI is requested after the end of the registration period without an exception, the SMT generates a validation exception The options are:
The new federation requests through the TMS that FIFA cancel the exception. FIFA authorizes if: the contracting club fulfilled all its obligations before the closure, and the delay was due to causes external to the new federation or the new club (e.g. lack of cooperation from the lending club).
If FIFA does not authorize cancellation, the player cannot register until the next registration period is opened. Until then, cannot participate in organized football with the new club.
The rule of the two clubs per season
There is an additional restriction that many do not know. According to Art. 5, p. 4 of the RETJ (in futsal rules, Art. 3, p. 5, with analogous principle for football eleven): a player is not eligible to play official games by more than two clubs during the same season in the same national championship or cup.
Last-minute transfers: best practices
- Plan ahead. Do not leave everything for the last few days. FIFA explicitly recommends advance planning.
- Check the windows of AMBAS federations. What matters is the window of the federation of the contracting club, but you need the cooperation of the previous federation for the STI.
- Have all the documentation ready before creating the order in the TMS: labor contract, transfer contract, proof of identity, proof of termination of the previous contract.
- Load the transfer order to the TMS as soon as possible. Both clubs must confirm independently. If there are correlation exceptions (discrepancies in data), it takes time to resolve them.
- Contact the FIFA team if there are problems. FIFA has a guard team during the last days of the main windows: [email protected].
- If the previous club doesn't cooperateThe lack of cooperation of the counterparty does not exempt the contracting club from its responsibilities in the TMS, but it can be an argument to ask for the annulment of a validation exception.
Particularities by region
Not all leagues operate the same.
Europe (July-May/June): Long summer window (June/July to September), short winter window (January to February). From 2025, the five major European leagues closed simultaneously on September 1.
South America (February-December): The windows do not match the European ones. This creates an asymmetry that South American clubs must handle: when the European window is open, South American can be closed or vice versa. South American clubs selling players to Europe need the window of the European buyer club to be open, not their own.
MLS (February-October): It has its own windows that do not match the traditional European calendar. There is a primary window at the beginning of the season and a secondary window at the middle of the year.
Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Pro League operates with a January-May/August-December calendar and has its own windows that have gained relevance for the volume of high profile signings.
Where to consult official dates
FIFA publishes the Worldwide Registration Periods Calendar — a document containing the dates of the registration periods of all the member federations of the world. This calendar is updated regularly and is available to users of the TMS. legal.fifa.com.
Associations enter their dates in the TMS at least 12 months before the start of the season. TMS users can see in real time whether the registration period of any federation is open or closed.
Related articles
- What is football sports law?
- RETJ explained article by article
- How the international transfer system works
- Free player: rights, obligations and opportunities
- Player loan: FIFA regulation and best practices
- Termination of contract without just cause: consequences and penalties
This guide is based on the RETJ July 2025 edition, the FIFA International Player Transfer Guide (July 2024) and public sources on transfer window dates. The dates of enrollment periods change each season — always check the official FIFA calendar before planning an operation.
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