A plague of agents? FIFA reports massing of dealmakers on football’s borders

April 12 – FIFA has reported that 6,586 candidates from 138 member associations have applied to take the new FIFA football agent exam scheduled for 19 April.

From October 1, 2023, the use of licensed football agents will become compulsory. With more than 6,000 likely to be licensed by the end of April the choice for any aspiring player looks to be mindboggling.

And there will be even more of them rushing to get their credentials. FIFA said additional exams have been scheduled for 20 September 2023, as well as for May and November 2024. Will there be enough players to feed them all?

The new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) came into force in January 2023. The introduction of the licensing system is seen by FIFA as “a key component of the FFAR” which is  intended “to raise professional and ethical standards for the profession of football agents”. It is a noble ambition that will still likely need regulatory enforcement, unless of course agents have suddenly all become warm and loving human beings only interested in making the world a better place.

“The significant number of applications we have received confirms that many individuals across the world are looking forward to working within the new regulatory framework, which will ensure basic service standards for football agents and their clients through well-defined rules and increased certainty,” said FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Emilio García Silvero.

Beware the enemy within Emilio.

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