Representation contract between agent and player: model and essential clauses

Without a representation contract, there are no representation services. This is the most basic rule of the RFAF: a football agentcan only act on behalf of a client after signing a representation contractin writing (art. 12, par. 1). There are no exceptions. There are no verbal agreements. There is no "let's work together and then see."

For the player, the representation contract is one of the most important documents of his career — sometimes more important than the employment contract with the club itself. Define who represents you, for how long, to what extent, how much you pay them, and under what conditions you can end the relationship. Signing it without understanding it is one of the most costly mistakes a footballer can make.

In this article I explain the RFAF rules on representation contracts, the minimum validity requirements, the clauses that you should pay attention to, those that are prohibited, and a practical guide for negotiating.

What this article covers

What is a representation contract according to the RFAF
The 5 minimum validity requirements (art. 12, section 7)
Maximum duration: 2 years, without automatic renewal
Exclusivity vs. non-exclusivity
The duty to inform about independent legal advice
Prohibited clauses: what should never be in your contract
Termination: when and how to end the relationship
Contracts with clubs: different rules
Contracts with minors: additional requirements
Assignment and subcontracting of services
Mandatory registration on the FIFA platform
Practical guide for players and agents

What is a representation contract

The RFAF defines it as"a written agreement signed between a football agent and his client with the aim of establishing a legal relationship for the provision of representation services". Representation services include any negotiation, preparatory communication or other activity carried out with the objective of completing a transaction (employment, registration, transfer, renegotiation of employment contract).

The 5 minimum validity requirements

In accordance with art. 12, section 7 of the RFAF, a representation contractonly validif it includes, at least:

1
Identity of the parties
Full name of the agent (with FIFA license number) and the client.

2
Duration
Contract validity period (where applicable).

3
Fees
The percentage or amount of the agent's commission.

4
Nature of services
What representation services are contracted.

5
Signature of all parties
Both parties must sign the document.

If any of these elements are missing, the contractis not validaccording to RFAF. FIFA offers a recommended contract template to anyone who requests it.

Duration: maximum 2 years, without automatic renewal

Customer type	Maximum duration	Renewal
Player or coach	2 yearsmaximum	Only by signing anew contract. The automatic renewal clauses arenull and void.
Club, federation or league	Unlimited	They can be of indefinite duration. It is allowed to have multiple simultaneous contracts with the same club for different transactions.

One contract per player.An agent can only havea single current representation contractwith the same player or coach (art. 12, section 4). You cannot have two parallel contracts with the same client to cover different services or transactions. If you want to expand the scope, you modify the existing contract.

Practical example (from FIFA FAQ)

Klaus and Nelson have a 2-year representation contract. Klaus signed a 4-year employment contract with his club thanks to Nelson's negotiation. If they want Nelson to continue representing Klaus during the 4 years of the employment contract, they will have to sign anew representation contractwhen the first one expires. They cannot extend it automatically.

Exclusivity vs. non-exclusivity

The contract can beexclusiveonon-exclusive:

Exclusive:Only that agent can represent the player during the term of the contract. No other agent can contact the player or sign a contract with him,except in the 2 months prior to expiration(art. 16, section 1 b and c).

Non-exclusive:The player can simultaneously have another agent for other transactions, or negotiate directly without an agent.

Exclusivity is a key negotiation point. Many agents demand exclusivity; many players prefer not to tie themselves. The important thing is that it is clearly established in the contract.

The duty to inform about legal advice

Before signing a representation contract with a player or coach (or modifying an existing one), the agentmust(art. 12, section 4):

Report in writingto the player or coach that it is advisable to receive independent legal advice on the contract
Get written confirmationof the player or coach that he has obtained — or has refused to obtain — such advice

This requirement generates a separate document that must be filed with the contract. It is not a formality: if the player later challenges the contract claiming that he did not understand its terms, the existence (or absence) of this document can define the case.

Prohibited clauses

Art. 12, section 13, establishes that they arenull and voidthe clauses that:

Limit the player's ability to negotiate and formalize an employment contract independently without an agent.That is, you cannot include a clause that forces the player to always use your services for any negotiation. The player has the right to negotiate on his own.
Penalize the playerfor negotiating or formalizing an employment contract without the mediation of the agent. That is, you cannot charge a fine or penalty to the player if he decides to negotiate a contract on his own.

For players:If your representation contract has a clause that says that "you cannot negotiate directly with a club without the agent" or that "if you negotiate without the agent you must pay a penalty", that clause isnull. It has no legal effect under the RFAF. you havealwaysthe right to negotiate your own employment contract without intermediation.

Termination of the representation contract

Both parties may terminate the contract at any time if there isjustified cause(art. 12, section 14). Just cause is considered any circumstance whereby, acting in good faith, one of the parties cannot be expected to maintain the relationship during the stipulated period. Includes, among others:

Thesuspension or withdrawal of licensefrom the agent
Theprohibition of carrying out activitiesin football
Theprohibition of registering new playersfor the club for at least one full registration period

If a party terminateswithout justified cause, you mustcompensate the otherfor any resulting damages. This is key: if a player leaves the agent without just cause before the contract expires, he may have to pay compensation.

Contracts with minors: additional requirements

Representation contracts with minors require (art. 13):

The agent must have completed themandatory continuing education course on minors
Contact with the minor can only be made6 months beforethat he can sign his first professional contract
Theprior written consent of the legal guardian
The contract must also be signed by thelegal guardian
If these requirements are not met, the violation is punishable by a fine and license suspension of up to 2 years

Assignment and subcontracting

An agent canassign or subcontractyour representation services to another licensed agent, provided you obtain theclient informed consent(FAQ 4.14). Consent must be given at the time of assignment or subcontracting — it cannot be advance generic consent.

Mandatory registration on the FIFA platform

All representation contracts (and their modifications or terminations) must be uploaded to theFIFA Agent Platformwithin the14 daysafter its formalization (art. 19). This includes: the complete contract, the information requested on the platform, and any contract for other services with the same client.

Failure to register on time may result in disciplinary sanctions and affect the agent's ability to claim fees.

Practical guide

For players: before signing

Seek independent legal advice.Your agent is obliged to suggest it to you in writing. Take advantage of that obligation and consult a sports lawyer to review the contract before you sign it.
Verify that the agent has a current license.Consult the public directory on the FIFA website. If you do not have a license, the contract is not valid under the RFAF.
Check the duration.Maximum 2 years. If it says something different, or has automatic renewal, that clause is void.
Understand the fees.How much are they going to charge you? On what basis? When are they paid? Today the industry standard is around 10%, but you can negotiate.
See if it is exclusive.If it is exclusive, you cannot have another agent during the term. If it is not, you have more freedom.
Look for prohibited clauses.Any clause that prevents you from negotiating on your own or penalizes you for doing so is void.
Think about termination.Under what conditions can you end the relationship? What happens if you leave without just cause?

For agents: protect your job

Never work without a signed contract.Without a contract, you are not entitled to fees. It doesn't matter how much trust there is — if it's not written, it doesn't exist.
Meets the 5 minimum requirements.If one is missing, the contract is invalid and you lose your right to collect.
Register on the platform within 14 days.Non-compliance can lead to penalties and complicate future claims.
Documents legal advice.Retains the player's written confirmation that he has received (or waived) independent legal advice.
Specifies the services clearly.The more detailed the scope of services, the less room there is for disputes about what is covered and what is not.
Expressly regulates what happens to the fees if the player is transferred before the expiration of the employment contract.Art. 14, section. 12 says that you lose the pending installments. If you want to mitigate that risk, you need to provide for it in the contract.

This guide is based on the RFAF (December 2024 edition, art. 12, 13, 14, 16, 19), the RFAF FAQ (questions 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, 4.27, 4.28, 4.29), and the Explanatory Notes on the RFAF (January 2023). This guidance is informative and does not replace the advice of a specialized attorney.

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Representation contract between agent and player: model and essential clauses