Registration
1. Each association must have an electronic player registration system, which must assign each player a FIFA ID when the player is first registered. A player must be registered at an association to play for a club as either a professional or an amateur in accordance with the provisions of article 2. With the exception of players participating in friendly matches during a trial, only electronically registered players identified with a FIFA ID are eligible to participate in organised football. By the act of registering or accepting to be on trial a player agrees to abide by the statutes and regulations of FIFA, the confederations and the associations.
2. A player may only be registered with a club for the purpose of playing organised football. As an exception to this rule, a player may have to be registered with a club for mere technical reasons to secure transparency in consecutive individual transactions (see Annexe 3). A player that is on trial (see article 19ter) does not need to be registered to participate in friendly matches played in the context of a trial.
3. A player may only be registered with one club at a time.
4. Players may be registered with a maximum of three clubs during one season. During this period, a player is only eligible to play official matches for two clubs. As an exception to this rule, a player moving between two clubs belonging to associations with overlapping seasons (i.e. start of the season in summer/autumn as opposed to winter/spring) may be eligible to play in official matches for a third club during the relevant season, provided they have fully complied with their contractual obligations towards their previous clubs, and provided that the provisions relating to registration periods (article 6) and the minimum length of a contract (article 18 paragraph 2) are respected. Limitations as per this paragraph do not apply if a player wishes to be registered based on the exception as per article 6 paragraph 3 a). Competition Regulations for the FIFA Club World Cup™ may establish further exceptions.
5. Under all circumstances, due consideration must be given to the sporting integrity of the competition. In particular, a player may not play official matches for more than two clubs competing in the same national championship or cup during the same season, subject to stricter individual competition regulations of member associations.
6. In relation to the FIFA ID of a player and the integration of their electronic player registration systems, member associations shall:
- a. assign a FIFA ID to all players already registered at the member association who have not been assigned a FIFA ID at the point in time when the electronic player registration system is integrated with the FIFA Connect ID Service;
- b. where a FIFA ID has already been assigned to a player, as indicated by the FIFA Connect ID Service, ensure the same FIFA ID is used to register the player in its electronic player registration system;
- c. if the FIFA Connect ID Service determines that a player is, or appears to be, registered in more than one electronic player registration system, resolve the matter within five (5) days of it becoming aware, and update the FIFA Connect ID Service without delay; and
- d. provide the relevant personal information about a player to other member associations’ electronic player registration systems through the FIFA Connect Interface, when requested for the purpose of registration and the determination of the FIFA ID of the player.