News & Views
Football Agents & Intermediaries
Mediation in the Dispute Between Agents and FIFA: Would or Could It Ever Succeed?
The FFAR dispute between FIFA and football agents could have been resolved (if not largely averted) long before now – and in a far more timely, efficient and cost-effective manner. That is if the values, attitudes, timelines, planning and approaches
12 August, 2024
More Alarm Bells for Football Agents in the UK?
Whilst there is currently a considerable amount of uncertainty over the regulations and the relatively new FFAR (‘FIFA Football Agent Regulations’) with the industry awaiting a key ruling from the ECJ (European Court of Justice), does the football ag
01 July, 2024
FIFA’s Temporary and Partial Suspension of FFAR Leads to Yet More Confusion and Potential Disputes
FIFA ‘throwing yet another hand-grenade’ into the already fractured and confused agent regulatory landscape, with circular 1873 announcing on 30th December 2023; the temporary suspension of several aspects of the FFAR worldwide - this will no doubt f
31 December, 2023
A Chink of Light in a Frustrating Year for Mediation in Football
So, in endeavouring to bring mediation to the professional sports world and most notably football (soccer), my own journey has been one littered with huge frustration, bewilderment and annoyance at the seeming resistance of many to contemplate mediat
29 December, 2023
Football Agent Disputes Ready to Go from Busy to Overdrive
Football Agent Disputes Ready to Go from Busy to Overdrive - when those involved in football agent related disputes start to realise that there are alternatives to resolve disputes that save time, save money, puts them in control, and also undertake
14 December, 2023
FIFA Football Agent Regulations Now Mired in More Problems – Huge Questions Over Exam and Licensing Integrity, Fairness and Validity
Are Agents the Oil in the Football Machine, Doing the Grubby Jobs that No-One Else Wants ………. But an Integral Part of a Functioning Engine?
26 September, 2023
Can A Simple Clause for Football Agents Save Time, Money and Headaches with Disputes (for both the agents and their clients)?
One of the biggest frustrations and concerns for many football agents is that of what happens if they become embroiled in a dispute with a client (i.e., player or club) or another football participant (e.g., another agent). This isn’t so much on the
07 July, 2023
First Experience of CAS – ‘Eye Opening’, Including the Comparisons to Mediation
Without going into too much detail about the case; not least out of respect for the process I was fortunate enough to get first-hand experience of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS / TAS). I was neither the claimant or respondent in the case; I
04 July, 2023
Disputes in a Football Transfer Window – The Perfect Arena for Mediation
The ‘transfer window’ is both a very time-limited and covert world), as well as the successful ‘deals’, transactions and transfers that are concluded - it is very rare for there to be full insight into the failed transactions, their causes and all th
28 June, 2023Are Agents the Oil in the Football Machine, Doing the Grubby Jobs that No-One Else Wants ………. But an Integral Part of a Functioning Engine?
Are Agents the Oil in the Football Machine, Doing the Grubby Jobs that No-One Else Wants ………. But an Integral Part of a Functioning Engine?
24 June, 2023
Will Some Football Agents Mistakenly ‘Cap’ Their Own Commissions – and FIFA ‘Get Their Way’?
Will Some Football Agents Mistakenly 'Cap' Their Own Commissions - and FIFA 'Get Their Way'? Despite any ruling or judgment about the legality, unlawfulness or fairness of the cap in the new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR)
21 June, 2023
Could The Uncertainty of this Transfer Window Sow the Seeds of Confusion, Conflict & Disputes (with FFAR)
Could The Uncertainty of this Summers Football Transfer Window with the New Football Agent Regulations Sow the Seeds of Confusion, Discontent, Conflict and Disputes
17 June, 2023
The Summer of 2023 Could Well Be the Craziest of Transfer Windows – Particularly for Agents
The Summer of 2023 Could Well Be the Craziest of Transfer Windows – Particularly for Agents,. Not least with the recent introduction of the new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) ‘into the mix’.
14 June, 2023
Why Don’t Some Football Agents Want Any Form of FIFA Agent Regulations?
Many football agents agree that they should be licensed and regulated fairly and effectively, there are some who are adamant that football agents should not be licensed and regulated by the football authorities, let alone FIFA.
15 May, 2023
How Could Football Agent Regulations (even FFAR) Be ‘Sold’ to the Agents?
FIFA’s new FFAR (FIFA Football Agent Regulations) has drawn considerable criticism, resentment and legal challenges from many in the football agent community. How could football agent regulations and licensing effectively be ‘sold’ to football agents
06 May, 2023
BATNA, WATNA and (M)LATNA meet FIFA … and the Disputed Football Agent Regulations
I haven’t suggested the possibility of mediation to the dispute between FIFA and Football Agents over new regulations for my own benefit as a mediator – although in a perverse kind-of-way, I would relish being part of the assigned mediation team in t
01 May, 2023
Mediation in Football Agent Disputes – A ‘Minefield’ of Hurt, Ego’s and Resentment
What many fail to realise, is that disputes between agents can have a considerable effect on many other football participants and stakeholders (not just agents), whether directly or indirectly. As such, it cannot be underestimated how important it is
27 April, 2023
Reflecting on FIFA’s First New Football Agent Exam – The ‘Fallout’ and Misinformation?
The comments and criticisms heard, read from candidates after sitting the FIFA football agents exam; are they misguided, justified or purely whinging and whining. Other contributing factors are at play here and considerable fall-out that may affect m
22 April, 2023Reflecting on FIFA’s First New Football Agent Exam – Unfairly Hard or Justifiably Testing?
Whilst many of those who sat the exam are being quite pragmatic in their appraisal of the exam and the overall process, the ‘whinging and whining’ from others is somewhat overdramatic and unreasonable. With this in mind I would say, if that is the wa
21 April, 2023
Do National Football Associations Truly Welcome the New FIFA Football Agent Regulations?
A Football Associations responsibility of organising and holding the new FIFA agent’s exam is just the start, but do they TRULY welcome the new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR)?
14 April, 2023
Could the New FIFA Football Agent Regulations prove to be FIFA’s ‘Achilles Heel’?
Challenges to FIFAs new Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) may have a negative impact on various football participants but “could it ultimately prove to be FIFA’s Achille’s heel”?
09 April, 2023
Player and Agent Disputes – When it all ‘turns sour’, can mediation help maintain the delicate balance between harmony and acrimony?
Player and Agent Disputes – The relationship between a footballer and their agent is a delicate balance between harmony and acrimony. When it all ‘turns sour’, can mediation help?
02 April, 2023
Do the New FIFA Football Agent Regulations Favour the Bigger Agencies Whilst Also Harming Football?
The capping of agent fees, whilst well-reasoned in a small number of cases, but will such a step actually favour the big agencies and be damaging to football overall.
30 March, 2023
Remember the Intermediaries – A Group Largely Forgotten in the Dispute Over Football Agent Regulations
Is it best that the football authorities (including FIFA) finally decide ‘enough is enough’ and ‘step back’ decisively on the matter of regulating football agents and football agent activity? And thus allow for Common law (or the law of another count
27 March, 2023
Should Football Give Up on Regulating Agents and Defer to Common Law and the ‘Law of Agency’?
Is it best that the football authorities (including FIFA) finally decide ‘enough is enough’ and ‘step back’ decisively on the matter of regulating football agents and football agent activity? And thus allow for Common law (or the law of another count
20 March, 2023
What is FIFA’s Long Game, and Have they a Bargaining Chip in the Agent Regulation Dispute?
During the period over which FIFA have been refining the FFAR in recent years, I maintained my belief (and also shared this belief with others) that FIFA would soften its stance in varying the ‘cap’ on agent’s fees, if only to demonstrate some ‘flexi
13 March, 2023
The Dispute Between FIFA and Football Agents Renders Some as Hostages in a Tense Standoff
To use a very unfortunate analogy, I think that in some ways many football agents and intermediaries (if not also national football associations), may well feel that they are hostages in a tense ‘standoff’ over the new FIFA football agent regulations
08 March, 2023
FIFAs Agent Working Group – right thing, right place, wrong time?
In February (2023), FIFA announced the establishment of its new Agent Working Group (AWG), and in ‘essence’ I applaud this step, and agree with the ‘supposed’ purpose and intention - that the AWG “will act as a permanent consultative body in relation
25 February, 2023
Can Football Expect a ‘Tidal Wave’ of Agent & Player Disputes?
Changes to FIFA's football agent regulations could result in many disputes between players and agents - the dispute resolution mechanism that will help settle the raft of inevitable disputes between football agents and players (plus managers/coaches
19 February, 2023
