Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP)

affiliated to FIFA

GS/gmo/oon

Revised FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players

Dear General Secretary,

As you know, last March FIFA reached agreement with the European Commission on the

main principles for the amendment of FIFA’s rules regarding international transfers.

Thereupon, FIFA drafted amendments to its regulations on the status and transfer of players,

taking into account these principles. The new regulations, including a set of Application

regulations, were adopted by FIFA’s Executive Committee on 5 July 2001 in Buenos Aires. I

am pleased to send you herewith the text of these regulations in FIFA’s four official

languages. This circular will summarise and explain the main points of the new regulations.

In this Circular as well, for simplicity’s sake, the male gender applies to both the male and

female gender.

1.

Protection of minors

The new regulations set forth strict conditions for the international transfer of minors (i.e.,

players under the age of 18), in order to provide a stable environment for the training and

education of players. The abuses to which minors have been exposed in the past must be

curbed.

Minors cannot transfer internationally, unless they move to another country with their family

for family reasons. National associations shall not register minors who have transferred

without their family, or with their family in case the family’s move was prompted by the

transfer of the minor to another football club. National associations or, by default, FIFA’s

Players’ Status Committee, may also impose disciplinary measures on clubs wishing to

See Art. 12.(a) of the FIFA Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players (hereafter referred to

as ‘Basic Regulations’).

See Art. 4.1 and 4.2 of the Regulations governing the Application of the Regulations for the Status

and Transfer of Players (hereafter referred to as Application Regulations).