Special Provisions relating to Contracts Between
professionals and clubs
1. Any employment contract that is concluded following the provision of football agent services shall specify the football agent’s name, their client, their FIFA licence number and their signature, in accordance with the FIFA Football Agent Regulations.
2. The minimum length of a contract shall be from its effective date until the end of the season, while the maximum length of a contract shall be five years. Contracts of any other length shall only be permitted if consistent with national laws. Players under the age of 18 may not sign a professional contract for a term longer than three years. Any clause referring to a longer period shall not be recognised.
3. A club intending to conclude a contract with a professional must inform the player’s current club in writing before entering into negotiations with him. A professional shall only be free to conclude a contract with another club if his contract with his present club has expired or is due to expire within six months. Any breach of this provision shall be subject to appropriate sanctions.
4. The validity of a contract may not be made subject to a successful medical examination and/or the grant of a work permit.
5. If a professional enters into more than one contract covering the same period, the provisions set forth in Chapter IV shall apply.
6. Contractual clauses granting the club additional time to pay to the professional amounts that have fallen due under the terms of the contract (so-called “grace periods”) shall not be recognised. Grace periods contained in collective bargaining agreements validly negotiated by employers’ and employees’ representatives at domestic level in accordance with national law shall, however, be legally binding and recognised. Contracts existing at the time of this provision coming into force shall not be affected by this prohibition.
7. Female players are entitled to maternity, adoption and family leave during the term of their contract, paid at the equivalent of two thirds of their contracted salary. Where a validly negotiated collective bargaining agreement contains provisions related to maternity, adoption and/or family leave, the respective provisions of the collective bargaining agreement shall prevail. Where no collective bargaining agreement exists, but where more favourable conditions are stipulated pursuant to national law, these more favourable conditions shall prevail. Third-party influence and ownership of players’ economic rights 05.
05. THIRD-PARTY INFLUENCE AND OWNERSHIP OF PLAYERS’ ECONOMIC RIGHTS