FIFA deepens the reform of the transfer system and governance rules

The FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee made progress on the reform of the transfer system, with the inclusion of protection measures for minors, and on the implementation of minimum governance standards, with global guidelines to incentivize sustainability and stability.

Chaired by the president of CONCACAF, Canadian Victor Montagliani, the commission held a videoconference meeting on Friday on the third reform package, after a series of contacts with different players in professional football held from February to April this year.

As reported by FIFA, regarding international transfers of minors the commission agreed to review the humanitarian exception provided for in article 19 of the Regulations on the Statute and Transfer of Players (RETJ) and if it could be applied with more flexibility or updated to reflect “real life” cases that are rejected.

Also investigate a regulatory testing framework that provide legal certainty and protect minors (and all players) from exploitation and study the possibility of reviewing and modernizing the regulations of private academies that work outside organized football, together with minimum protection measures in the case of minors transferred internationally.

To fight against the hoarding of players, agreed to the implementation of the new regulations on assignments as of July 1, 2022. Stakeholders had agreed on a new regulation on assignments in February 2020, but its start-up was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regarding the registration periods, the meeting addressed greater flexibility with the time allocated to the registration periods of each season and more options for unemployed players to sign up outside of these periods.

Among other points, the guidelines for recognition between confederations were also discussed. of the competencies of top-level coaches, written by a group of experts.