EU Football Agents Callout FIFA For “Cartel Activity”

Football agents have expressed concern to the European Commission regarding the potential negative impact of new FIFA regulations on their income.

FIFA is facing allegations of breaching competition law by limiting fees for agents involved in player transfers, as stated in a confidential complaint reviewed by POLITICO.

The agents addressed a complaint to the Commission’s competition department, stating that FIFA’s rules would limit competition within the internal market by setting purchasing prices.

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The adoption of the regulations could be seen as an abuse of FIFA’s dominant position as it may impose unfair trading conditions, such as purchasing prices, both directly and indirectly.

FIFA has implemented new regulations for agents who facilitate transfer deals between clubs, including those in top European divisions and lower levels of the football pyramid, as some agents earn significant amounts of money from these deals.

According to FIFA, the rules aim to strengthen contractual stability, preserve the transfer system’s integrity, and enhance financial transparency.

Agents have expressed their dissatisfaction with FIFA’s new legislation, claiming that they were not consulted during the drafting process. However, FIFA denies this accusation and states that they engaged in a five-year consultation process with agents, agent representative organizations, players, clubs, leagues, and associations, which resulted in the new rules.

The complaint to the EU was filed by The Football Forum (TFF), which is an association representing football agents and players, including influential individuals in the sport.