FIFA training rights: what they are, how they are calculated and how to claim them

If your club trained a player for years and then that player signs his first professional contract at another club — or is transferred internationally before the age of 23 — your club is entitled to collect atraining compensation. It is money that FIFA forces to pay to compensate for the investment in the training of young players.

The problem is that many training clubs — especially in South America, Africa and Asia — are unaware of this right, do not know how to calculate it or do not file the claim on time. And the money that belongs to them ends up being lost.

In this article I explain everything you need to know: what training compensation is, when it is generated, how it is calculated step by step, and how to claim it. With concrete examples and with a point that isit is essential to understand correctly: the calculation is done bycalendar year (calendar year), not by sports season.

What you will find in this article

What is training compensation and what is its basis?
The two events that generate the payment obligation
The key concept: calendar (calendar) year vs. season
How clubs are categorized and what costs are allocated
Step-by-step calculation formula with 4 numerical examples
Special rule for transfers within the EU/EEA
When training compensation is NOT due
How to claim: via Clearing House and via Football Court

What is training compensation

Training compensation (in English,training compensation) is a payment that the RETJ forces to make to compensate the clubs that invested in thetraining and educationof a player during his developmental years (art. 20 of the RETJ, Annex 4).

The rationale is simple: training a player from the age of 12 until he reaches the professional level requires infrastructure, coaches, facilities, travel expenses and years of dedication. If another club benefits from this training by hiring the player as a professional, it is fair that the training club receives financial compensation.

Key information:The principles of training compensationdo not apply to women's football(art. 20, last paragraph of the RETJ). This is an explicit exception in the current rule.

When the payment obligation is generated

According to art. 20 of the RETJ and art. 2 of Annex 4, training compensation is due intwo situations:

1. First registration as a professional
When a player registersfor the first timeas a professional in any club, that club must pay training compensation toall clubswhere the player was registered since the calendar year of his 12th birthday.

2. Every international transfer before 23
Every time a professional player is transferred between clubs of two different associationsbefore the end of the calendar year of your 23rd birthday, the new club must pay training compensation to the previous club.

A fundamental point: the obligation to payexists even if the transfer is made at the end of the contract. That is, the fact that the player arrives "free" (without transfer costs between clubs) does not eliminate the obligation to pay training fees. The generative event is not the payment of a transfer, but the change of club before the age of 23.

The key concept: calendar year, not season

This is the point that generates the most confusion and that you need to be absolutely clear about.

The RETJ uses the concept of"calendar year"(calendar year) to define training periods. A calendar year is simply acalendar year: from January 1 to December 31. It is not a sports season (which varies by country: July-June in Europe, February-December in South America, etc.).

Why does the difference matter?

Because the calculation of compensation is based on thecalendar yearsbetween the player's 12th and 21st (or 23rd) birthday. It does not matter when the season starts or ends in the country of the training club. What matters is thecalendar yearin which the player reaches each age.

This has a direct practical consequence: if a player was registered with your club for part of a calendar year, your club is entitled to a proportion of the compensation corresponding to that calendar year.

Let's see how this works with a concrete example:

Example: how calendar years are assigned

Player:Born on March 15, 2006.

Calendar year of your 12th birthday:2018 (turns 12 on 03/15/2018)
Calendar year of your 13th birthday: 2019
Calendar year of your 14th birthday: 2020
Calendar year of your 15th birthday: 2021
Calendar year of your 16th birthday: 2022
...and so on until...
Calendar year of your 21st birthday: 2027
Calendar year of your 23rd birthday: 2029

If this player registers as a professional for the first time in January 2024 (at 17 years old), the new club must pay training compensation to all the clubs where he was registered sincecalendar year 2018(year of his 12th birthday) until that time.

If he is later transferred internationally in 2027 (at 21 years old), the new club pays training compensation to the previous club. And so on until the end of thecalendar year 2029(year of his 23rd birthday).

What happens if a player was at a club for only part of the calendar year?The amount is calculatedpro rata. If you were registered for 6 months of a calendar year, the training club receives the proportion corresponding to those 6 months of the annual training cost.

Club categories and training costs

Not all clubs spend the same amount on training a player. For this reason, FIFA asks each association (federation) to classify their clubs in up to4 categoriesaccording to your investment in training (art. 4 of Annex 4).

Training costs are establishedby confederation and by club category. They represent the sum necessary to train a player for one year, multiplied by a"player factor"(the proportion between trained players and those who become professionals).

These data are published infifa.comand are updated at the end of each calendar year. Associations must keep their clubs' training category updated in the TMS.

Protective rule for young players (art. 5, section 3 of Annex 4):To avoid unreasonably high amounts in the training of very young players, the costs ofcalendar years from 12 to 15 years(i.e. four calendar years) are always calculated with the costs of thecategory 4(the lowest), regardless of the club's actual category.

To give an indicative reference (exact amounts are updated annually):

Confederation	Cat. I	Cat. II	Cat. III	Cat. IV
UEFA (Europe)	€ 90.000	€ 60.000	€ 30.000	€ 10.000
CONMEBOL (South America)	$ 50.000	$ 30.000	$ 10.000	$ 2.000
CAF (Africa)	$ 30.000	$ 10.000	$ 2.000	$ 500

Note: these values are indicative and are updated annually. Always check the current amounts on fifa.com.

Calculation formula

The general rule of art. 5 of Annex 4 is:

Compensation = Training cost of the NEW club category × Number of years of training

But with two fundamental nuances:

First registration as a professional:It is calculated with the training costs of the category of thenew club(the one that registers you as a professional), multiplied by the number of years of training. In principle, from thecalendar year of 12th birthdayuntil21st birthday calendar year(art. 5, section 2 of Annex 4). The amount is distributed pro rata among all training clubs according to the time the player was registered in each one.

Subsequent transfers (before 23):It is calculated with the costs of the category of thenew club, multiplied by the number of years of trainingat the previous clubspecifically.

Example 1: First registration as a professional — a single training club

Player:He was born on July 10, 2005. He was registered in the Club Atlético Formador (CONMEBOL, Category III) from 2017 (year of his 12) until 2023.

In January 2024(18 years old), signs his first professional contract with a CONMEBOL Category I club.

Calculation:

Years of training: from calendar year 2017 (12th birthday) to calendar year 2023 =7 calendar yearstraining
But be careful: the calendar years from 12 to 15 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) = 4 years are calculated with Category IV
The calendar years from 16 to 18 (2021, 2022, 2023) = 3 years are calculated with the category of the new club (Cat. I)

Compensation:

4 years × $2,000 (Cat. IV CONMEBOL) =$ 8.000
3 years × $50,000 (Cat. I CONMEBOL) =$ 150.000
Total: $158,000—all for Club Atlético Formador, which was the only training club.

Example 2: First registration — multiple training clubs

Player:Born on February 22, 2004.

Club A(Argentina, Cat. III CONMEBOL): registered from 2016 to mid-2020 (calendar year from 12 to 16, but only half of 2020)
Club B(Argentina, Cat. II CONMEBOL): registered from mid-2020 to 2023

In 2024signs his first professional contract with aUEFA Cat. I club(a European club).

Calculation:The category of thenew club(UEFA Cat. I = €90,000 per year for 16-21, but Cat. IV for 12-15).

Calendar years 12–15 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) = 4 years × €10,000 (UEFA Cat. IV) =€ 40.000
- Everything for Club A (was registered for the full 4 years)
Calendar year 16 (2020): Club A had the player for the first half, Club B for the second
- Club A: 0.5 × €90,000 = €45,000
- Club B: 0.5 × €90,000 = €45,000
Calendar years 17–19 (2021, 2022, 2023) = 3 years × €90,000 = €270,000
- Everything for Club B

Result:

Club A receives: € 40.000 + € 45.000 = € 85.000
Club B receives: € 45.000 + € 270.000 = € 315.000
Total paid by the European club: € 400,000

Look how everything changes when the new club is a high category one.If the same player signed with a CONMEBOL Category III club instead of a UEFA Category I club, the amounts would be radically lower. The category ofnew club—not that of the training club—is the one that defines the base cost. The logic of the RETJ is: how much would it have cost the new club to train that player internally.

Example 3: Subsequent transfer before 23

Player:Born in 2003. Signed as a professional at Club

In this case, Club Y pays compensation for training only to theClub, for the years that the player actually trained there (2021-2025 = 4 calendar years).

Calculation:4 years × €90,000 (UEFA Cat. I) =€ 360.000for Club X.

Example 4: The calendar year makes a difference

Player:He was born on December 2, 2003. He turns 23 on December 2, 2026.

If transferred internationally theJanuary 15, 2026, is within the calendar year of your 22nd birthday →compensation is due for training.

If theJanuary 15, 2027, it has already passed December 31, 2026 (end of the calendar year of your 23rd birthday) →Training compensation is NO longer due.

And here is the key: it does not matter that the player turns 23 only in December 2026. What matters is if the transfer occurs beforeends the calendar year(12/31/2026) when he turns 23. A day difference can mean hundreds of thousands of euros.

Special rule for transfers within the EU/EEA

Art. 6 of Annex 4 establishes specific rules for transfers between associations of the European Union and the European Economic Area:

Scenario	Calculation
From lower category to higher category	Averageof the training costs of both clubs
From higher category to lower category	The costs of thelower category club
Previous club does not offer contract	No compensation is paid,exceptthat the club demonstrates that it has the right to it. You must have offered a written contract (certified mail or email with return receipt) at least60 days beforeof maturity, with a value equivalent to the current contract.

The contract offer rule within the EU/EEA is particularly relevant: if a European club does not formally offer a professional contract to its player before the current contract expires,loses the right to compensation for trainingof that player (although previous clubs do retain their rights).

When training compensation is NOT due

Art. 2, section 2, of Annex 4 establishes three exceptions whereis not generatedthe obligation:

The previous club terminated without just cause
If the club dismissed the player without just cause, they do not have the right to charge for training. This does not affect the rights of the clubs prior to that one (the other trainers do charge).

The player goes to a Category IV club
If the new club is classified in the lowest category, the payment obligation is not generated. This protects small clubs.

The professional resumes amateur quality
If at the time of the transfer the player stops being a professional and registers as an amateur, no compensation is generated.

Additionally, compensation for training is independent of compensation for breach of contract (art. 17 of the RETJ). That is, a club may have to payboththings if circumstances warrant.

The FIFA Clearing House: how payments are processed

Since the implementation of theFIFA Clearing House, the processing of training compensation has changed significantly. In cases subject to the Clearing House Regulations, payments are calculated and distributed through this entity, which acts as an intermediary.

The process works like this:

The TMS detectsthe first professional registration or international transfer of an eligible player.
TheEPP (Electronic Sports Passport)with the player's registration history since the age of 12.
APPE review processwhere the parties can verify the information.
Once the EPP is final, the FIFA General Secretariat issues aassignment orderto the Clearing House.
The Clearing House processes payments to training clubs.

In cases wherenoare subject to the Clearing House Regulations, thenew clubis directly responsible for calculating the amount and paying it to all training clubs within a period of30 daysfrom registration (art. 3, section 2 of Annex 4).

Obligation to inform (art. 9, section 3 of the RETJ):Except in cases subject to the Clearing House, the new association mustreport in writingto the club associations that trained the player between the ages of 12 and 23 about their registration as a professional, once they have received the CTI. This allows the training clubs to know that their right was generated.

How to claim if you are not paid

If a training club does not receive the training compensation it is entitled to, it has several options:

Via Clearing House

If the case is subject to the Clearing House Regulations, the process is relatively automated. However, if a club did not participate in the PPE review process and believes it is entitled to compensation that was not calculated, it may file a complaint with theDispute Resolution Chamberaccording to art. 18, section 2, of the Clearing House Regulations.

Via Football Court

The claim for compensation for training is presented through theTMSbefore the Dispute Resolution Chamber of the Football Court, in accordance with art. 27 of the Rules of Procedure. The claim must include:

Written with the allegations of fact and law
Complete player record with all clubs from the age of 12
Confirmation of the category of the plaintiff and defendant clubs
Exact date of first registration as a professional or transfer
Proof of professional contract offer (if applicable, in EU/EEA cases)
Plaintiff's bank details

Amount review:The Dispute Resolution Chamber canadjustthe amount of the training compensation if you consider that it isobviously disproportionatein the specific case (art. 5, section 4 of Annex 4). This operates as a safety valve to prevent abuse.

Training compensation vs. solidarity mechanism

Do not confuse these two concepts. They are different mechanisms that can operate in parallel:

	Training compensation	Solidarity mechanism
When is it generated?	First registration as a professional + each international transfer before the age of 23 (calendar year)	Transfer of a professionalduring the term of your contract(with payment of compensation by transfer), without age limit
Who gets paid	The training club or clubs (12 to 21/23 years old)	All clubs where the player was registered between 12 and 23 years old
How to calculate	Training costs of the new club category × years of training	5% of transfer compensation, distributed proportionally per calendar year
Regulations	Art. 20 + Annex 4 of the RETJ	Art. 21 + Annex 5 of the RETJ

A club can collect compensation for trainingysolidarity mechanism in the same operation, if the conditions for both are met.

Summary: what every training club should know

Checklist for training clubs

Keep thetraining categoryof your club in the TMS
Correctly register all youth players in your federation's electronic system — the EPP is generated with this information
The calculation is done bycalendar year(January 1 to December 31), not seasonally
Calendar years from 12 to 15 are always calculated with Category IV, regardless of your actual category
The payment obligation existseven if the player arrives free(no transfer fee)
If you are in the EU/EEA, offer a written contract at least60 days before expirationor you lose the right
If you are not paid, you can complain to the Dispute Resolution Chamber through the TMS
Does not apply to women's football (for now)

This guide is based on the RETJ July 2025 edition and the FIFA Clearing House Regulations (January 2026). The training cost amounts by category are indicative and are updated annually on fifa.com. In any specific case, always consult with a lawyer specialized in sports law.

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FIFA training rights: what they are, how they are calculated and how to claim them