The Ultimate Guide to the FIFA Study Materials

Introduction

On the 20th of September 2023, over 10,000 registered candidates will sit the second edition of the FIFA Football Agent Exam since its reintroduction earlier in the year. As part of our courses on how to pass the exam and as further guidance for How to Become a Football Agent, we have decided to create a blog providing a walkthrough guide to each section of the FIFA Study Materials available to help candidates prepare to take the exam, particularly highlighting the key components of each separate document. 

To begin with we would advise printing out and revising the table of contents for the entire Study Materials document as well as the contents page of each separate component and also having the definitions pages that appear at the beginning of each document alongside this. Once you have learned and registered where each section lies and what material is covered by underlining key definitions and circling where major bits of information and content appear, you can then begin absorbing the knowledge. 

FIFA Statutes

The FIFA Statutes begin with two pages of key definitions which are vital to understand for the entirety of the FIFA Study Materials. The document then contains over 100 articles in total outlining the FIFA Statutes and two attached sections providing the regulations governing the application of these statutes as well as orders of the congress. It is the largest document within the study materials and it is important to methodically work through each component to understand what the statutes are, the applicability of them and how they can be examined. 

All of the statutes, as outlined within article 2 on the objectives of FIFA, are designed to protect the integrity of the game. Some of the key articles such as 7, identifying IFAB as the lawmakers of the game, and articles 10-19 and 24-34, name key bodies within football that can make certain decisions such as the FIFA Congress, and the FIFA Council, their roles within the game, their powers, and the rights granted to national associations that are members of FIFA. Similarly, part four of the Statutes (articles 22-23) outlines the rights and obligations for the 6 different confederations recognised within the FIFA Statutes.

Major individual figures such as the FIFA President, the Secretary General and the FIFA General Secretariat are covered in articles 35-37. Candidates must ensure they understand the difference in tasks and responsibilities given to each and particularly where they will be relevant within different parts of the FIFA Study Materials.

Within articles 39-53 there are many different committees named. It is important not to be confused by the large number of committees that are recognised by FIFA within the entire document. We would advise that the judicial bodies (the Disciplinary; Ethics; and Appeal Committees) are the most important but you must also be able to recognise where other committees are relevant. Further to this, articles 54-65 cover the different chambers of the FIFA Football Tribunal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the elements of dispute resolution and jurisdiction.

FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC)

The document begins by outlining key general provisions for the FDC including its scope of application, possible disciplinary measures available to the relevant body, the purpose of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and other key clauses. However, the bulk of the FIFA Disciplinary Code is contained in parts 2 and 3 of the document. 

Part 2 outlines the array of offences that will trigger acting upon the FDC. These include infringements of the laws of the game, discrimination, misconduct, sports doping, and risk management. Chapter 4 of part 2 contains key material that candidates need to be aware of to understand how disciplinary measures taken against the offences named within the document are enforced and implemented. 

Part 3 of the FDC then explains the organisation and competence of FIFA in order to investigate, prosecute and sanction misconduct. This includes the composition of different judicial bodies, their independence, impartiality, confidentiality and meeting process. Other notable content within the section includes the burden of proof, provision of evidence, time limits, liability exemptions, financial implications for different parties, and the appeal process. 

The annexes of the FIFA Disciplinary Code are useful for candidates to consolidate their knowledge of this part of the FIFA Study Materials. The annexes provide tables that clarify the extent of sanctions, fines and disciplinary measures that can be taken against offending parties. 

FIFA Code of Ethics

There are a lot of similarities between the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code in terms of their scope, applicability and purpose. However, the actual material contained within each separate document covers different areas that may be examined within the FIFA Football Agent Exam. 

Part 2 of the Code of Ethics details the substantive law provided by FIFA. similar to the FDC, it explains the different types of sanctions, breaches and implementation of Ethics Committee decisions as well as the most important duties and rules of conduct of parties bound by the Code. There is also a subsection which names a handful of offences such as bribery, discrimination, threats to physical and mental integrity, forgery, abuse of position, corruption, misuse of funds, match fixing and gambling. 

Part 3, the organisation and procedure of the Ethics Committee is greatly significant. The Code of Ethics outlines its competence and independence as well as its composition procedure. The details of the procedural rules (general, investigation, adjudication, decisions, appeals) can be examined by FIFA so it is important you understand all of the elements of chapter 2 of part 3 in the Code of Ethics. Similarly to the equivalent section in the Disciplinary Code, this includes representation, the burden of proof, time limits, compliance, the costs of legal proceedings, and the appeal process.  

FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP)

The RSTP is perhaps the most complex of the FIFA documents contained within the Study Materials. There is a lot of heavy material covered within it and there are intricate details and examinable content that you will need to identify and highlight to avoid making errors during the exam. 

There are 10 parts to the document, containing 29 clauses, as well as 7 annexes attached at the end. Firstly, it’s important to note that you must read the annexes and link them with the different topics covered within the RSTP, they will help refine your knowledge of the difficult and complicated areas of the document. The best way of helping you assess the most significant elements of the RSTP is to briefly list these key points below:

• SECTION 2: This section is important to differentiate the status of players between amateur and professional.
• SECTION 3: As well as outlining the key regulations and restrictions for registering players with clubs, the player registration section includes FIFA ID’s, the ban on bridge transfers, player passports, international transfer certificates, loan transfers and the lengths and implications of registration periods. Annexe 3 is important here to understand the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS). 
• SECTION 4: This is relevant for questions that ask about contractual matters between players and clubs, particularly if it mentions the termination of a contract with or without just cause. Annexe 2 is also relevant here, especially if the question mentions a contract with a coach. 
• SECTION 5: Third-party influence and third-party ownership are now very strictly regulated and restricted so this section is vital for agents to comply with and understand.
• SECTION 6: Any question which asks about a female player, particularly those that mention pregnancy, will require agents to consult this section. Annexe 1bis is also relevant to link here. 
• SECTION 7: Article 19, 19bis, and 19ter will be relevant for questions concerning minors. Topics such as trials, as well as protection of minors during international transfers are covered and are very important to know. 
• SECTION 8: There are a few areas of the FIFA Study Materials that can be examined through asking a question that demands mathematical calculations. Articles 20 and 21 in this section cover training compensation and the solidarity mechanism. They are often common concerns for candidates taking the exam but consolidating your knowledge of this section with annexes 4 and 5 will help prepare you for any question on these topics. 

FIFA Procedural Rules Governing the Football Tribunal

The FIFA Football Tribunal is mentioned throughout the FIFA Study Materials. Hence, this part of the document is very important as it will consequently help candidates understand the applicability and relevance of the Football Tribunal to other rules and regulations provided by FIFA. 

Sections 1 and 2 contain key general details for the Football Tribunal, including relevant parties, time limits, scope of application, jurisdiction, and composition. The Dispute Resolution Chamber, Players’ Status Chamber, and the Agents Chamber are composed slightly differently and deal with different disputes so candidates need to be able to identify when each chamber is relevant in a particular exam question. Section 3 then continues by detailing the rules and regulations for claims, disputes, appeals, costs, adjudications, and mediation relevant for the procedures of the Football Tribunal.

In addition to the training compensation and solidarity mechanism articles (20 & 21) in the FIFA RSTP, section 4 of this document provides the procedural rules for the Dispute Resolution Chamber to resolve issues around these matters as well as disputes with Electronic Player Passports. 

It is worth also highlighting the annexe attached to this document concerning the advance of costs and procedural costs for the Football Tribunal.

FIFA Clearing House Regulations (CHR)

There is some overlap, as is the case with many elements of the document, between the FIFA Clearing House Regulations and other parts of the FIFA Study Materials. However, candidates need to analyse this separate document as it goes into extensive detail on the payment of training compensation and expands on prior knowledge of the Electronic Player Passport. The document also mentions sanctions and disputes in regards to the Clearing House payment processes.

FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR)

Arguably the most important part of the FIFA Study Materials for candidates to know regardless of the exam, the FFAR concerns every regulation placed upon agents operating within the football industry. 

It is difficult to simplify this document as it is imperative that candidates understand every aspect of it. However, it is worth mentioning that the most commonly examined elements of the FFAR include representation (articles 12 and 13), service fees (articles 14 and 15), and disciplinary matters (article 21). Some key aspects of these regulations to also ensure you ingrain into your knowledge prior to the exam include multiple representation restrictions, the contents of representation agreements, and the engagement of football agents. 

FIFA Guardians Child Safeguarding Toolkit and Essentials

These are actually two individual documents within the FIFA Study Materials but cover the same examinable contents. Firstly, candidates need to work through the FIFA Guardians Child Safeguarding Toolkit for Member Associations.

Section 4 of this document is the most important part. It begins by outlining the five principles that apply to all stakeholders to govern their conduct towards safeguarding children in football. The five principles are then put into five steps towards achieving and protecting these principles and can be examined by FIFA within the Football Agent Exam. 

The additional FIFA Guardians Safeguarding Essentials Course is useful to work through when preparing for the exam as it allows you to apply and refine your knowledge around the FIFA Guardians Child Safeguarding Toolkit for Member Associations. The practice questions within this document can emulate the kind of questions that may arise in the FIFA Agent Exam. 

Summary

This blog has hopefully provided a guide to the key components of each of the separate documents contained within the FIFA Study Materials to help you with your preparation for the FIFA Football Agent Exam. We would advise you to engage with as many practice questions as possible on these different documents and to ensure you have good navigation skills to be able to efficiently find each relevant section within the exam. 

For more information on how to become a football agent and to pass the FIFA exam, keep an eye out for our courses and additional resources posted on our social media platforms under the Erkut Sogut Academy.