A plague of agents? FIFA reports mass negotiators at football borders

April 12 - FIFA has announced that 6,586 candidates from 138 member associations have applied to sit the new FIFA Football Agent Examination scheduled for April 19.

As of October 1, 2023, the use of licensed football agents will become mandatory. With over 6,000 players likely to be released by the end of April, the choice of any aspiring player seems mind-boggling.

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

The new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) came into effect in January 2023. The introduction of the licensing system is seen by FIFA as "a key part of the FFAR" which aims to professional and ethical standards for the profession of football agent". This is a noble ambition which will probably require regulatory enforcement, unless of course agents have suddenly all become warm and loving human beings only interested in making the better world.

"The significant number of applications we have received confirms that many people around the world are eager to work under the new regulatory framework, which will ensure basic service standards for football agents and their clients through well-defined rules and greater certainty,” said Emilio García Silvero, FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer.

Beware of the enemy within Emilio.

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