FIFA Solidarity Mechanism: Complete guide with examples and calculations
Every time a professional player is traded during the duration of your contract in exchange for a transfer indemnity, the 5% of that amount It is deduced and divided between all the clubs that formed the player between the ages of 12 and 23.
That 5% is the solidarity mechanism — and for many training clubs around the world, especially in South America, Africa and Asia, it represents a key source of income that is too often ignored or lost due to lack of management.
In this article I explain exactly how it works: when it is generated, how it is calculated, how it is distributed among the training clubs, and what you have to do to collect it. With numerical examples step by step and with emphasis on the concept of calendar year — which is the unit of measure used by FIFA to allocate the percentages.
- What is the mechanism of solidarity and what is its foundation
- The key condition: transfer during the term of a contract
- The distribution table of 5% per calendar year (12-23 years)
- 4 full examples with detailed calculations
- The "95 + 5" system: how it is retained and paid in practice
- Difference between solidarity mechanism and compensation for training
- National transfers with an international dimension
- How to claim if you are not paid
What is the mechanism of solidarity?
The solidarity mechanism is regulated in the Art. 21 of the RETJ and developed in the Annex 5Its logic is redistributive: when a transfer generates money, a part of that money must return to the clubs that spent years in the player's training.
Unlike the compensation for training — which is generated by the first registration as a professional or by transfers before the age of 23, the solidarity mechanism has no age limit. It applies to any transfer of a professional during the term of his contract, has the player 19 or 35 years.
When the obligation is created
According to Article 1, paragraph 1, of Annex 5, the contribution of solidarity is generated when:
- A professional player is transferred during the period of validity of a contract (i.e. not due).
- One is paid compensation for transfer To the previous club.
The contribution of solidarity corresponds to the 5 % of any compensation paid to the previous club within the framework of that transfer, excluding In other words, if a transfer includes both a transfer payment and a training payment, 5% is calculated only on the amount of the transfer.
Two cases where it applies (Article 1, paragraph 2, of Annex 5)
The professional player is traded (definitive or on loan) between clubs affiliated to different partnerships. Training clubs in any country charge their share.
The player is traded between clubs of the same associationbut some formative club is affiliated to a different associationThis foreign club is entitled to its share of 5%.
The distribution table: calendar year, no season
5 % is not equally distributed among all training clubs. proportionally according to the years that the player was enrolled in each club, during the natural years between her twelfth and her twenty-third birthday.
And here comes the crucial point: FIFA uses natural years (from 1 January to 31 December), not sports seasons. Each calendar year has a weight assigned in the table:
| Natural year of birthday | Percentage of 5 % | In a transfer of € 10M |
|---|---|---|
| 12th birthday | 5 % | € 25,000 |
| 13th birthday | 5 % | € 25,000 |
| 14th birthday | 5 % | € 25,000 |
| 15th birthday | 5 % | € 25,000 |
| 16th birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 17th birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 18th birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 19th birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 20th birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 21st birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 22nd birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| 23rd birthday | 10 % | € 50,000 |
| Total | 100 % | € 500,000 |
There is a clear difference between the two age ranges. 12-15 represent only the 5 % each (i.e. 0.25 % of the total compensation) 16-23 represent the 10 % each of the 5 % total (i.e. 0,50 % of compensation), this reflects the higher cost and impact of training in older ages.
4 examples with step-by-step calculations
Example 1: One Club Trainer, International Transfer
Player: He was born on 20 March 2000. Club Formador (Argentina) from 2012 to 2018 (natural years from 12 to 18). He then signed as a professional with the Club A (Spain) in 2019.
In 2026 (26 years), Club A sells the player to Club B (England) by € 20,000,000 during the duration of your contract.
Solidarity contribution: 5 % of € 20,000,000 = € 1,000,000
Distribution to Club Formador:
- Natural year 2012 (12th birthday): 5 % of € 1,000,000 = € 50,000
- Natural year 2013 (13.°): 5 % = € 50,000
- Natural year 2014 (14.°): 5 % = € 50,000
- Natural year 2015 (15°): 5 % = € 50,000
- Natural year 2016 (16°): 10 % = € 100,000
- Natural year 2017 (17°): 10 % = € 100,000
- 2018 calendar year (18°): 10 % = € 100,000
Total for the Trainer Club: € 500,000
The natural years 2019-2023 (19th to 23rd birthday) correspond to Club A (Spain), but Club A is already receiving the transfer compensation (minus 5%) Club A does not receive solidarity on its own — it charges 95% of the transfer.
The natural years corresponding to Club A are thus assigned in the table, but as is the sales club, those percentages simply remain "absorbed" because it already receives the bulk of the payment.
Example 2: Multiple training clubs
Player: He was born on 10 June 2001.
- Club School (Colombia): registered 2013-2015 (natural years 12th, 13th, 14th)
- Youth Club (Colombia): registered 2016-2019 (natural years 15.°, 16.°, 17.°, 18.°)
- Club Pro (Brazil): signed as a professional in 2020, registered 2020-2023 (natural years 19°, 20°, 21°, 22°)
- European Club (Portugal): bought the player in 2024 (natural year 23rd)
In 2026 (25 years old), the European Club sells the player to an English club for € 30,000,000.
Solidarity contribution: 5 % of € 30,000,000 = € 1,500,000
| Club | Natural years | Weight | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club School | 12.°, 13.°, 14.° (3 years × 5 %) | 15 % | € 225,000 |
| Youth Club | 15.° (5 %) + 16.°, 17.°, 18.° (3 × 10 %) | 35 % | € 525,000 |
| Club Pro | 19°, 20°, 21°, 22° (4 × 10 %) | 40 % | € 600,000 |
| European Club (seller) | 23° (10 %) | 10 % | No fee (is the seller) |
Colombia School Club Receives € 225,000 He receives it because he trained the player between the ages of 12 and 14. That is the power of the solidarity mechanism.
Example 3: Player who changed club mid-year
Player: He was born on 8 January 2003.
- Club X (Uruguay): registered from 2015 until July 2018
- Club Y (Argentina): registered from August 2018 to 2022
The player is transferred internationally in 2026 by € 10,000,000.
Natural year 2018 (15th birthday year): The player was at Club X for ~7 months and at Club Y for ~5 months. This calendar year is worth 5 % of 5 %. Deal pro rata:
- Club X: 7/12 × € 25,000 = 14,583 €
- Club Y: 5/12 × € 25,000 = - € 10,417
The assessment is applied provided that a player has been enrolled in more than one club during the same calendar year. FIFA calculates this proportion with the information of the EPP (Electronic Sports Passport).
Example 4: Transfer of a 32-year-old player — the mechanism remains active
Player: He was born in 1994. He is 32 years old in 2026. He was formed in an Argentine club between 2006 and 2012 (natural years 12° to 18°).
A Saudi club buys it for € 8,000,000 to an Italian club during the duration of its contract.
Although the player is 32 years old and the transfer does not generate compensation for training (that only applies until the age of 23), yes it generates mechanism of solidarity. The Argentine club that formed it cobra:
- Years 12.°-15.° (4 × 5 % of € 400,000) = € 80,000
- Years 16°-18° (3 × 10 % of € 400,000) = € 120,000
- Total: € 200,000 — by a player who left the club 14 years ago.
The system "95 + 5": how it works in practice
When a transfer payment is declared in the TMS, the system operates under logic "95 + 5":
- The new club agrees to pay, for example, € 10,000,000 To the previous club.
- At the time of payment, the new club retains 5 % (€ 500,000) of the amount.
- Pays the previous club € 9,500,000 (95%).
- The € 500,000 withheld are distributed among the training clubs through FIFA Clearing House.
The proof of payment that the new club declares in the TMS reflects this retention. From that proof, the FIFA Clearing House generates the allocation order and processes distribution to training clubs (art. 12, para. 3 (b) of the Clearing House Regulations).
Difference with compensation for training
It is common to confuse these two mechanisms, which are complementary but distinct:
| Solidarity mechanism | Compensation for training | |
|---|---|---|
| Generator fact | Transfer during the term of a contract, with compensation payment between clubs | First registration as a professional + international transfers before 23 (natural year) |
| Age limit | He doesn't have. Apply the entire player's career. | Until the end of the 23rd birthday calendar year |
| Basis of calculation | 5 % of transfer compensation paid between clubs | Training costs by category of the new club × years of training |
| Does it apply if the player arrives free? | No. Without compensation for transfer there are no 5% to distribute. | YesThe obligation exists even if there is no transfer cost. |
| Regulations | Art. 21 + Annex 5 of the RETJ | Art. 20 + Annex 4 of the RETJ |
A training club can charge both mechanisms in the same operation if the conditions are met for each. Compensation for training and the contribution of solidarity are not mutually exclusive.
What if the training club no longer exists
If a training club closed, dissolved, broke down or lost its membership of its federation, the solidarity contribution it would receive is received by the association (federacy) to which he was affiliated. That money should be allocated to Youth football development programmes of that association (Article 2, paragraph 4, of Annex 5).
Loans with compensation: do they generate solidarity?
Yeah. If a loan includes an indemnity paid to the previous club (e.g. a loan "fee), that compensation falls within the basis of the calculation of the solidarity mechanism. The rule does not distinguish between permanent transfers and loans: it speaks of "any compensation paid to the previous club" (Article 1, Appendix 1).
Does not apply to futsal
The provisions of the solidarity mechanism not applicable to transfers of players to and from futsal clubs (Article 9 of Annex 6 of the RETJ).
How to claim if you are not paid
Via Clearing House
In cases subject to the Clearing House Rules, payment should be processed automatically through FIFA Clearing House. If your club is not accredited to Clearing House, you need to start the accreditation process to receive payments.
If you consider that there was an error in the calculation or that your club was improperly excluded from the player's EPP, you can file a lawsuit before the Dispute Resolution Chamber (Rule 18(2) of the Clearing House Regulation).
Via Tribunal del Fútbol
The application is filed through the TMS in accordance with Article 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the Football Court. It must include, inter alia:
- Information on the transfer on which the demand is based
- The clubs involved in the transfer
- The percentage of solidarity contribution requested
- The amount paid (or assumed) for the transfer, or a statement that the amount is unknown
Checklist for training clubs
- Registers all youthful players correctly in your federation’s electronic system since the age of 12 — the EPP is built with this information
- Follow your ex-players' race. Every time they're transferred during a current contract, you get solidarity.
- Accredit your club to FIFA Clearing House. Without accreditation, payments cannot arrive
- Check the EPP When the Clearing House opens it up for review — if there are errors, it's time for you to correct them.
- The calculation is per calendar year (1 January to 31 December), not by sports season
- It has no age limit. Follow the player even if he is 30 or 35 years old — if they sell it, it’s yours
- If you don't get paid, claim. You can do it before the Dispute Resolution Chamber through the TMS
Related articles
- What is football sports law: introductory guide
- RETJ explained article by article
- How the international transfer system works
- FIFA training rights: what they are, how they are calculated and how to claim them
- FIFA Clearing House: What It Is, How It Works and Its Impact
- Player contracts: structure, clauses and common errors
This guide is based on the RETJ edition July 2025 and the FIFA Clearing House Rules. In any specific case, consult with a lawyer specializing in sports law.
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