Circular no. 1853 - Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players – categorisation of clubs and registration periods

TO THE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF FIFA

Circular no. 1853

Zurich

Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players – categorisation of clubs and registration periods

Dear Sir or Madam,

As in previous years, we kindly refer you to those articles of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (the Regulations) that address training compensation, classifying clubs into categories and registration periods.

As you are aware, the use of the Transfer Matching System (TMS) is mandatory for all associations. The registration periods and categorisation of clubs established by your association must be recorded in TMS. Associations must also maintain accurate data of their affiliated clubs (including club categorisation) in their national registration system (NRS).

Training compensation: categorisation of clubs

Each affiliated club that exists in TMS must be classified by the relevant association into different categories in TMS by 15 August 2023, based on the club’s financial investment in training players (cf. art. 4 par. 1 of Annexe 4 to the Regulations).

Furthermore, it is important that each association maintain accurate data (both current and historical), including information related to the categorisation of all its affiliated clubs, in its respective NRS. In view of the requirements related to the FIFA Clearing House and the creation of the electronic player passport, each association is required to send registration details (via the FIFA Connect interface) covering the entire period for which the player was registered with the association. These registration details must include the categorisation of the affiliated club(s) for which the player played.

Each association must therefore also ensure that every affiliated club’s training categorisation is accurately reflected in its NRS by 15 August 2023.

The category specified must be valid for the entirety of the relevant season. Associations are not permitted to amend the category of a club during a season.

The enclosed table shows the categories available to each association to classify its affiliated clubs, and the applicable training costs (cf. art. 4 par. 2 of Annexe 4 to the Regulations). If an association does not categorise its affiliated clubs by the established deadline, it may be subject to compliance proceedings. We refer you to the administrative sanction procedure (ASP) under article 17 of Annexe 3 to the Regulations.

Setting season dates, competition and registration periods

Professional competitions

Each association must set the two registration periods for the next calendar year (i.e. 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024), in accordance with article 6 paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Regulations, in TMS by 15 August 2023.

In the event that an association’s current season finishes after that date, it must set the two registration periods immediately after the last day of the current season (cf. FIFA circulars no. 1743 of 14 December 2020 and 1752 of 26 March 2021).

Associations may set different registration periods for their competitions for male and female players (cf. FIFA circular no. 1601 of 31 October 2017).

Pursuant to article 6 paragraph 2 of the Regulations, in conjunction with Annexe 3, the data related to dates of competition periods, seasons and registration periods must be communicated to FIFA via TMS at least 12 months before they come into force.

Regarding the timing of the relevant dates, please note that:

a season must be a consecutive 12-month period during which its official competitions occur;
a competition period starts with the first official match of the national league championship or national competition and ends with the last official match played within those competitions;
the first registration period may begin as early as the first day after the day on which the competition period of the previous season ended and may not be shorter than eight weeks or longer than 12 weeks;
the second registration period will normally occur in the middle of the season and may not be shorter than four weeks or longer than eight weeks;
the cumulative total of both registration periods may not exceed 16 weeks;
when fixing registration periods, each association must pay particular attention to their end date; if the end date of a registration period is a holiday or non-business day in the country or territory of the association’s domicile, it will not be possible to extend it to the next business day if this would result in the association exceeding the relevant maximum duration; and
if an association does not set the registration periods for competitions played by a particular gender, the registration periods established for the other gender will not automatically apply; the association will not be able to register players where no registration period has been defined.

If an association does not set its registration periods in TMS by 15 August 2023, FIFA may set the dates itself (cf. art. 6 par. 2 of the Regulations). Failure to set registration periods may also result in an ASP.

It is the sole responsibility of each association to ensure that accurate dates are properly entered in TMS. Only the dates included in TMS will be recognised by FIFA, irrespective of any communication made outside the system. Where a registration period has not yet started, and in exceptional circumstances, it is possible to change its dates. Once a registration period has started, it is not possible to change its dates.

Amateur competitions

Each association must set the registration periods for the next calendar year (i.e. 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024), in accordance with article 6 paragraph 8 of the Regulations, in TMS by 15 August 2023.

Please note that:

The provisions related to the maximum duration of registration periods do not apply to purely amateur competitions. Therefore, associations may decide to set a single registration period covering the entire season for purely amateur competitions.
If an association fails to set registration periods for competitions in which only amateur players participate, it will not be possible to register players for clubs participating in those competitions. The registration periods for professional competitions do not apply to competitions in which only amateur players participate.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Players’ Status Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions in connection with any of the above.

We thank you for your valuable collaboration.

Yours faithfully,

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Fatma Samoura

Secretary General

Encl. as mentioned

Cc: - FIFA Council

- Confederations

- Football Tribunal

- European Club Association

- FIFPRO

- World Leagues Forum