Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran - 2017 edition
| Adoption | 2017 — Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran |
| Status | Governing version — the basis for transfers and the determination of players' status |
| Supplementary documents | The contract registration directive for each season and the Executive Board's decisions on transfers apply alongside these Regulations |
List of articles (57 articles)
- 1List of players' names
- 2List of surplus players
- 3Documents required for registration and for the issuance of the participation permit and match card
- 1Definition and purpose
- 2Status of players: professional or amateur players
- 3Reacquisition of amateur status
- 4Termination of activity
- 5Registration of players
- 6Transfer season
- 7Player passport
- 8Application for registration
- 9International Transfer Certificate (ITC)
- 10Loan (temporary transfer) of professional players
- 11Unregistered players
- 12Enforcement of disciplinary sanctions
- 13Overdue payables
- 14Respect of contract
- 15Termination of contract for "just cause"
- 16Termination of contract for "sporting just cause"
- 17Restriction on termination of contract during the season
- 18Consequences of terminating a contract without just cause
- 19Special requirements relating to contracts between clubs and players
- 20Third-party influence on clubs
- 21Protection of minors
- 22Registration and reporting of minors at academies
- 23Training compensation
- 24Method of calculating training compensation
- 25The Football Federation's jurisdiction in the field of transfers
- 26Players' Status Committee
- 27Dispute Resolution Chamber
- 28Transitional provisions
- 29Matters not provided for
- 30Value of the annexes
- 31Approval and entry into force
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 5All coaches must obtain the approval of the Education Committee in order to receive the permit and the card for participation in matches
- 6All medical staff must obtain the approval of the Medical Committee of the Football Federation in order to receive the permit and the card for participation in matches.
- 7
- 8
- 1List of players' names
- 2List of surplus players
- 3Documents required for registration and for the issuance of the participation permit and match card
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13Time spent at a military or law-enforcement club does not count as part of the term of the contract with the original club.
Annexes
Annex One
Release of players by clubs for national team duty
A: Principles for the release of players for the men's senior national team
B: Principles for the release of players for the women's senior national team
C: Principles for the release of players for the futsal national team
D: Sanctions and disciplinary measures
E: Financial provisions and insurance
F: Call-up of players to the national team
G: Injured players
H: Restriction on playing
Annex Two
Contracts of persons other than players
Annex Three
List of players' names and documents required for registration
#Article 1List of players' names
#Article 2List of surplus players
#Article 3Documents required for registration and for the issuance of the participation permit and match card
Annex Four
Status of players liable for and serving military service
Definitions of certain terms used in these Regulations
1.Federation: a non-governmental body which is independently administered and is the highest official football organisation in the country.
2.Football League Organisation: an institution affiliated to the Football Federation, registered with the Companies Registration Office, which, in respect of the staging of competitions whose organisation has been delegated to the Football League Organisation, acts in compliance with the regulations.
3.Club: an organisation established under the applicable laws of the country and registered with the General Office for the Registration of Companies. In order to take part in official football competitions, a club must hold a valid
operating licence and be a member of the Federation and the Football League Organisation.
4.Judicial body: the Disciplinary Committee, the Ethics Committee and the Appeal Committee of the Football Federation.
5.Dispute Resolution Chamber: the Dispute Resolution Chamber is an independent arbitration tribunal which guarantees fair and impartial proceedings and respects the principle of equal rights for players and clubs.
6.Transfer intermediary: a person who, licensed by the Football Federation and in accordance with the regulations, rules and directives approved by the Congress or the Executive Board of the Football Federation, is permitted, by introducing a player or coach, to be involved in the transfer of players and coaches within the limits of their authority.
7.(Eligible) player: any football player who, in the view of the Federation, is eligible to take part in matches.
8.League: the organised process of staging official football competitions, conducted under the management of the Football League Organisation, the results of which are reported to the Football Federation.
9.Former club: the club which the player has left or is in the process of leaving.
10.New club: the club which the player has joined or is in the process of joining.
11.Releasing club: the club which transfers out its player.
12.Acquiring club: the club which takes a player from another club.
13.Former federation: the federation of which the former club is a member.
14.New federation: the federation of which the new club is a member.
15.Official matches: matches organised and staged within the framework of the regulations of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and by one of them, or which are recognised as official by them and whose points are entered in the competition table; friendly and trial matches are not included.
16.Competition season: a period beginning with the staging of the relevant first official match and ending with the relevant last official match. The start and end of the season are determined and announced by the Football League Organisation.
Where the start and end of the league do not coincide with those of the Cup, the first official match of whichever of the two competitions begins earlier is deemed the start of the season, and the last official match of whichever of the two competitions ends later is deemed the end of the season.
17.Mid-season: the interval between the end of the first-round matches and the start of the second round, determined and announced by the League
Organisation and the Football Federation.
18.Transfer period: the time determined by the Federation or the Football League Organisation within which players may move to another club. The first period must not exceed twelve weeks, and the second period, in the mid-season, must not exceed four weeks.
19.Academy: an independent legal organisation or institution whose primary and long-term objective is the training of players through the provision of the necessary infrastructure and training facilities. This consists primarily of the establishment of football training centres, football camps, football schools and the like.
20.Transfer Matching System (TMS): a web-based player transfer system intended to facilitate the process of international player transfers and to enhance transparency and the flow of the relevant information.
21.Minor player (under the legal age): a player who has not yet reached the age of eighteen.
22.Iranian player inside the country: a player holding an identity document, passport and the nationality of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran; the engagement of such a player must take place within the permitted transfer period at the start of the season or in the mid-season.
23.Iranian player abroad: a player holding an identity document, passport and Iranian nationality who lives and works in a foreign country. The engagement of such a player must take place within the period notified to FIFA through TMS.
24.Foreign players: players holding a non-Iranian identity document, passport and nationality. The engagement of such players takes place within the period notified to FIFA through TMS.
25.Foreign players working in Iran: players holding a non-Iranian identity document, passport and nationality who live and work inside the country in compliance with the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The engagement of such players must take place within the permitted transfer period at the start of the season and
in the mid-season as announced by the Football Federation.
26.Termination of contract: means the unilateral ending of the contract between the parties.
27.Mutual rescission: means the ending of the contract by agreement of the parties.
28.Third party: a party other than the releasing and acquiring clubs or the former clubs of which the player has been a member.
29.Protected period: where the contract was concluded before the player's 28th birthday, a period of three seasons or three years, whichever comes first, from the entry into force of the contract; where the contract was concluded after the player's 28th birthday, a period of two seasons or two years, whichever comes first, from the entry into force of the contract.
30.Note! Words referring to natural persons apply to both genders (male and female). Any term used in the singular also applies in the plural, and vice versa.
#Article 1Definition and purpose
The Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players have been drawn up, in compliance with the requirements laid down in the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, with the aim of determining the status of players and the manner of transferring players in the various age categories, as well as the various means of terminating a contract, dispute resolution and the manner of sanctioning them where they fail to respect the regulations and the principles governing the relations between them, and with the aim of harmonising the regulations on player transfers in the country's football.
#Article 2Status of players: professional or amateur players
1.Players taking part in football are divided into two categories: professional and amateur.
2.A professional player is a player who has a written contract — as a professional player — with a club and whose income from footballing activity exceeds the expenses he incurs. An amateur player is a player who has a written amateur contract and whose income is less than his ordinary living expenses.
#Article 3Reacquisition of amateur status
1.A player registered as a professional may not be registered again as an amateur unless thirty days have elapsed since his last match as a professional.
2.No training compensation is payable upon a player's reacquisition of amateur status.
3.If a player is registered again as a professional within 30 months of having been registered as an amateur, his new club must pay training compensation in accordance with Article 23.
#Article 4Termination of activity
1.A professional player who ends his professional football career after the expiry of his contract, or an amateur player who ends his activity (retires), must remain registered (with the Federation, the League Organisation and the provincial football association) for thirty months.
2.This period (thirty months) begins from the last official match the player played for his club.
#Article 5Registration of players
1.In order to play for a club, a player must be registered with the Federation (the League Organisation) as a professional or an amateur, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of these Regulations. Only registered players may take part in football matches. By the act of registration, the player undertakes to comply with the statutes, laws and regulations of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, the Federation and the League Organisation.
2.A player may have a contract registered with only one club at any given time.
3.A player may have a contract registered with a maximum of three clubs during one season, and during that period the player is entitled to play in official matches for only two of the three clubs.
Note: As an exception to this rule, a player moving between two clubs belonging to two federations with overlapping seasons (for example, one federation whose season starts in the summer or autumn and another whose season starts in the winter or spring) may also play for a third club in the same season, provided that he has fulfilled his contractual obligations towards the two previous clubs. The provisions relating to the transfer season and the minimum term of a contract must also be observed (from the date of commencement to the end of that same season).
4.In all circumstances, the sporting integrity of the competitions must be given particular attention. Specifically, a player may not play for more than two clubs competing against each other in the Premier League or the Cup in the same series of matches and in the same season; however, in compliance with international football regulations, the Federation may also adopt more restrictive provisions.
#Article 6Transfer season
1.Players may be registered only in one of the two annual periods (pre-season and mid-season) determined by the Federation.
Note: As an exception to this rule, a professional player whose contract has expired before the end of the transfer period (a free player) may be registered outside the two aforementioned pre-season and mid-season periods. In order to prevent abuse, the Football Federation may register such a player only where it has had regard to the sporting integrity of the competitions. Where a contract is terminated with "just cause", the Federation may take provisional measures in order to prevent any possible abuse of the exception set out in this Article.
2.The pre-season transfer period is set at a maximum of twelve weeks (84 days) and the mid-season transfer period at a maximum of four weeks (28 days). Their start and end dates are entered by the Federation in the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) twelve months in advance. These periods may not be altered or extended, and any transfer or registration of a player outside the two aforementioned periods, save for the exception in Article 6 paragraph 1, is not permitted.
3.Subject to the exceptional case set out in the Note to Article 6 paragraph 1, players may be registered only if a valid official application is submitted by the club to the Federation and registered within the transfer period.
4.In the case of competitions in which only amateur players take part, the provisions relating to the transfer periods (as set out above) do not apply. However, the Federation (the League Organisation) is obliged to determine the exact transfer periods for these competitions, having regard to the sporting integrity of the competitions.
#Article 7Player passport
The Federation (the League Organisation) is obliged to provide the new club with the player's football passport containing the details of his particulars. This passport must also contain the name(s) of the club(s) that have registered the player since the age of 12. If the player's date of birth falls between two seasons, the football passport must record the name of the club that registered the player during the season following his date of birth.
#Article 8Application for registration
1.Clubs have until the close of business on the last day set for transfers to submit an application for the registration of a professional player together with a copy of the player's contract.
2.The Players' Status Committee has the competence to consider and examine any contractual addendum or supplementary agreement that has not been submitted for registration within the prescribed time limits.
3.Technical, medical, team-management (administrative), interpreting, media-officer and service staff are not subject to these Regulations, and consequently the submission of their contracts is not subject to the transfer time limits.
#Article 9International Transfer Certificate (ITC)
1.Players registered with a foreign football federation may be registered with the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (the League Organisation) only if the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran has received their International Transfer Certificate from the former federation; conversely, players registered with the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran may be registered with a foreign football federation only if the federation concerned has received their International Transfer Certificate from the Iranian federation.
2.The ITC is issued free of charge and without any conditions or time limits, and any condition to the contrary is deemed void.
3.The federation issuing the ITC must send a copy of it to FIFA. The administrative procedure for issuing the ITC is set out in Annexe 3 to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
4.The Federation does not request the issuance of an ITC for participation in a trial match.
5.After receiving the ITC, the Federation is obliged to notify in writing the federations of the clubs that trained and educated the player between the ages of 12 and 23 of the registration of the professional player.
6.An ITC is not required for players under the age of ten.
#Article 10Loan (temporary transfer) of professional players
1.A professional player may be transferred on loan on the basis of a written contract between the player and the two clubs concerned.
2.A loan transfer is subject to the same rules as a permanent transfer of a player, including the provisions on training compensation and transfer periods.
3.The minimum duration of a loan is the interval between two transfer periods.
4.A club that has taken a player on loan is not entitled to transfer that player to a third club without the written authorisation of the loaning club and the player concerned.
5.A club that transfers out its player on loan may not replace him with another person on the list of players.
6.The duration of the loan is deemed part of the duration of the player's original contract with the releasing club.
7.Upon expiry of the term of the loan contract, the player is at the disposal of the original club.
8.Following a loan, the player's return to the original club before the expiry of the loan contract is possible only by tripartite agreement between the original club, the player and the acquiring club.
9.In an international loan, the tripartite contract must be uploaded to TMS, and the principles and provisions relating to the issuance of the ITC also apply to the loan of a professional player and to his return to the original club. In an international loan, as well as in the return of such a player to the original club, the issuance of the ITC follows a special request referring to the terms of the original loan agreement.
#Article 11Unregistered players
Where a player who is not registered plays in an official match, his participation is deemed unlawful. In addition to the alteration of the result of the match, the Federation's Disciplinary Committee must sanction the player and the club.
#Article 12Enforcement of disciplinary sanctions
1.Any disciplinary sanction of up to four matches or up to three months imposed on a player by the former federation but not fully served at the time of the player's transfer to Iran must be enforced by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran so that the sanction is served in full.
2.Any disciplinary suspension exceeding four matches or three months that has not been fully served
by the player is to be enforced by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran only if the FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirms that the sanction has worldwide effect.
3.When issuing an ITC, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran must inform the new federation, through TMS (for
professional players) or in writing (for amateur players), of any disciplinary suspension that has not been fully served.
#Article 13Overdue payables
1.Clubs are obliged to comply with their financial obligations towards players and other clubs in accordance with the terms stipulated in the contracts they have signed with professional players and in transfer agreements.
2.Any club that, without a contractual basis, delays in paying its financial obligations for more than thirty days is sanctioned in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article.
3.In order for a club to be found to have overdue payables under this Article, the creditor (whether another club or a player) must establish the club's default by sending a written notice granting the debtor club a deadline of at least ten days to fulfil its financial obligations.
4.Where the above conditions are met, the Players' Status Committee may impose the following sanctions on the debtor club:
a - warning
b - reprimand
c - fine
d - a ban on registering new players (whether domestic and/or international) for one or two entire and consecutive registration periods.
5.The above sanctions may also be imposed in combination.
6.Repetition of the offence of failing to pay a debt on time by the debtor club is treated as an aggravating factor in sanctioning.
7.The sanction of a ban on registering new players (as set out above) may be suspended. In that case, enforcement of the said sanction is suspended for a minimum of six months and a maximum of two years.
8.If a club whose transfer ban has been suspended commits the same offence again during the period of suspension, the suspension of the previous sanction is automatically lifted and the sanction is enforced. This sanction is added to the new sanction imposed for the new offence.
9.The imposition of the sanctions set out in this Article does not preclude the enforcement of the sanctions set out in Article 18 of these Regulations concerning the unilateral termination of the contractual relationship.
#Article 14Respect of contract
A contract between a professional player and a club ends only upon expiry of the term of the contract or by mutual agreement.
#Article 15Termination of contract for "just cause"
Either party may terminate the contract where there is "just cause", without any consequences (payment of compensation or sporting sanctions).
Note: The transfers unit registers the termination of the contract without entering into the merits of the matter, and responsibility for it rests with the person requesting registration.
#Article 16Termination of contract for "sporting just cause"
1.A player who is officially recognised as a professional may, where he has appeared in fewer than ten per cent of his club's official matches during the season, terminate his contract for "sporting just cause" before its expiry date.
2.In assessing such a situation, the particular circumstances of each player must be taken into account and the matter examined on a case-by-case basis.
3.In this case no sporting sanction will be imposed, but a claim for compensation is possible.
4.On this basis, a professional player may terminate his contract only within fifteen days following the last official match of that season played by his club.
Note: The transfers unit registers the termination of the contract without entering into the merits of the matter, and responsibility for it rests with the person requesting registration.
#Article 17Restriction on termination of contract during the season
During the competition season, a contract may not be terminated unilaterally.
#Article 18Consequences of terminating a contract without just cause
The following provisions apply where a contract is terminated without just cause:
1.In all cases of termination of a contract without just cause, the party terminating the contract is obliged to pay compensation.
2.Subject to the provisions on training compensation, the compensation arising from termination without just cause is calculated in accordance with the terms of the contract; and where the compensation is not clearly stated in the contract, the compensation for termination of the contract is calculated in compliance with the country's laws and regulations on contract law and obligations
(in particular in the field of sport, where such exist), to the extent that they are not contrary to the FIFA regulations, and any other objective criteria. Those criteria may include, among other things, the salary and other benefits of the player under the previous contract and the new contract, the time remaining on the previous contract, the fees and expenses paid or incurred by the former club (amortised over the term of the contract), and whether the breach of contract occurred during the protected period.
3.Compensation may not be assigned to a third party. If a professional player is obliged to pay
compensation, that player and his new club are both jointly and severally liable for its payment. The amount of compensation may be provided for in the contract or determined by agreement of the parties.
4.A player who has breached his contract during the protected period will, in addition to paying compensation, also incur a sporting sanction. This sanction is a four-month suspension from taking part in official matches (whether club or national team), and where aggravating circumstances exist this suspension may be increased to six months.
5.As soon as the decision imposing a sporting sanction is notified to the player, it must be enforced.
6.The sporting suspension is stayed during the interval between the last official match of the current season and the first official match of the following season (that is, the break between two different seasons is not counted as part of the period of suspension and is not deducted from it).
7.The said suspension covers all official national and club matches and competitions, both domestic and international.
8.Where the suspended player is an established member of the national team and the national team has taken part in the final stage of an international competition, there is no bar to his playing for the national team during the interval between the last match of the season and the first match of the following season.
9.Unilateral breach of a contract without just cause or sporting just cause after the protected period does not give rise to a sporting sanction. However, where the termination is not notified to the club by formal notice within 15 days after the last official match of the season (league and Cup), disciplinary measures may also be imposed in addition to the payment of compensation.
10.Where, upon renewal, the previous contract is extended, the protected period begins anew.
11.A club that has breached a contract during the protected period, or that induces a player to breach his contract, will, in addition to paying compensation, also incur a sporting sanction.
12.Where a club concludes a contract with a professional player who has terminated his previous contract without just cause, it is presumed that this club induced the player to breach his contract unless the contrary is proved. This club is banned from registering a contract with any new player, whether domestic or international, for two entire and consecutive transfer periods, and the club is able to register a new domestic or international player only after the ban has been fully served and in the following transfer period; the exception set out in Article 6 paragraph 1 of these Regulations (registration of a free player outside the transfer period) does not apply in this case (that is, even by relying on
this exception it may not register a new player).
13.All persons subject to and bound by the statutes and regulations of FIFA and the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be sanctioned where they act in a manner deemed to induce a breach of a contract in order to facilitate the conclusion of another contract.
#Article 19Special requirements relating to contracts between clubs and players
1.If an intermediary has taken part in the negotiations for the conclusion of the contract, his name must be stated in the contract.
2.The minimum term of a contract is from its date of entry into force until the end of the season, and the maximum term of a contract is five years.
3.The conclusion of a professional contract with a term of more than three years for persons under 18 is prohibited, and any clause to the contrary is not valid.
4.A club intending to conclude a contract with a professional player must inform the player's current club in writing before commencing negotiations with the player.
5.A professional player is permitted to conclude a contract with another club only where his contract has expired or has less than six months remaining. Any breach of this rule is subject to proportionate sanctions.
6.The validity of a contract may not be made conditional on passing a medical examination or on obtaining a work permit.
7.If a professional player has two contracts overlapping in time, his case will be decided in accordance with the provisions of Articles 14 to 19 of these Regulations.
8.For a contract to be considered valid, it is necessary and sufficient that it state the full particulars of the parties, specify the subject matter of the contract, the term
of validity of the contract (day, month, year), state the contract amount and the agreed method of payment, and bear the signatures of the parties to the contract.
9.The method of payment of taxes and statutory deductions is governed by the applicable laws of the country.
10.A contract is valid and binding as soon as the parties sign it, but fielding the player requires the registration of the contract.
11.In addition to the original contract, any other agreement, annexe or addendum to the contract agreed by the parties and put in writing is deemed valid if its authenticity is confirmed by the Players' Status Committee and if it complies with these Regulations; the Players' Status Committee must exercise due care in this regard in order to preserve the sporting integrity of the competitions. In such proceedings, the Players' Status Committee takes the authenticity of the documents submitted as its starting point unless the contrary is established by evidence.
12.The registration of changes to the term of a contract, or the registration of an extension of the term of a contract, must take place solely within the two transfer periods (the start of the season and the mid-season). The alteration, completion or deletion of other terms is permitted at any time, provided that these agreements and changes are notified in writing to the Players' Status Committee for examination within 15 days at the latest. After examining the matter as set out in the preceding paragraph and, if approved, the Players' Status Committee certifies the matter for registration with the transfers registration unit. In such proceedings, the Players' Status Committee takes the authenticity of the documents submitted as its starting point unless the contrary is established by evidence.
13.A contract with persons under 18 must be concluded with the formal consent of the player's guardians.
14.Clubs must ensure that players under 18 are in education at the time the contract is concluded.
15.In the case of foreign players, the text of the contract must be drawn up in both Persian and English and the two must correspond exactly, and both texts must be signed by the parties. In the event of a discrepancy between the Persian and English texts, the Persian text prevails before the Iranian adjudicating body.
#Article 20Third-party influence on clubs
1.No club is entitled to conclude a contract enabling a third party or the counterparty club to acquire the ability to influence and interfere in the conclusion of contracts, matters relating to the transfer of players, the independence, policies and performance of that club, or vice versa.
2.No player or club may conclude a contract with a third party whereby the third party acquires a share of all or part of the rights relating to the player's future transfers to another club, in particular as regards the financial rights payable.
3.The prohibition laid down in the preceding paragraph applies from 1 May 2015 onwards. Contracts falling under the preceding paragraph that were concluded before 1 May 2015 remain valid until the end of their stipulated term, but may not be extended.
4.Agreements falling under paragraph 1 of this Article that were concluded between 1 January 2015 and 30 April 2015 are valid for no more than one year from their entry into force.
5.From the end of 1 May 2015, all international contracts falling under paragraph 1 of this Article must be registered in TMS. All clubs that have concluded such a contract must register and enter them in TMS in full, including any annexes and amendments, together with the details and particulars of the third party concerned, the full particulars of the player and the term of the contract.
6.FIFA and the Football Federation may sanction clubs that fail to comply with these requirements.
#Article 21Protection of minors
1.The international transfer of players is permitted only where the player is over eighteen years of age.
2.The exceptions to paragraph 1 are as follows:
a: the parents of the player under eighteen move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linked to football.
b: the player lives no more than 50 kilometres from the border between Iran and the country of the club of destination, and the club in the neighbouring country that the player intends to join is likewise located no more than 50 kilometres from that same border; accordingly, the maximum distance between the player's home in Iran and the club's headquarters in the foreign country must be 100 kilometres, and in such cases the player must continue to live at home, and both federations concerned must expressly give their consent to the transfer.
3.The prohibition laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article also covers a foreign player who has not been continuously resident in Iran for the past 5 years and who has not previously had a contract registered as a player with an Iranian club.
4.Any international transfer under paragraph 2 and any first registration under paragraph 3, as well as any first registration of any foreign minor player who has lived in Iran for at least the past 5 years, is subject to the approval of the sub-committee of the FIFA Players' Status Committee established for that purpose.
5.The application for such approval must be submitted by the Federation to FIFA. The aforementioned approval must be obtained before the ITC is requested or the player is first registered.
6.Any breach of this rule is examined by the Disciplinary Committee and the offender is sanctioned in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Any person within the Federation who fails to make the required application for the said approval or who issues an ITC without holding the said approval, as well as the clubs concerned that have concluded a contract without FIFA's approval of the transfer, are sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee.
7.The procedure for applying for approval from the said committee is set out in Annexe 2 to the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
#Article 22Registration and reporting of minors at academies
1.Clubs that operate a football academy which is legally, financially or de facto dependent on the club are obliged to report to the Football Federation, every four months, the names of all minor players attending their academy.
2.In respect of academies that have no legal, economic or de facto link with a particular club, the Football Federation is obliged to ensure the following.
a: the academy must establish a club to take part in the national championship competitions of the relevant age category. The names of all players of this club must be reported to the Football Federation.
b: the names of all minor players attending the academy for training and education must also be notified to the Football Federation.
3.The Football Federation is obliged to record in a special register the reports received from clubs or academies containing the names and dates of birth of minor players.
4.As soon as the names are reported to the Football Federation, the academies and players become bound to comply with the statutes of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, as well as the statutes and all laws and regulations, rules, circulars, directives and decisions of the Football Federation, and to promote the ethical principles of football.
5.Any breach of the provisions of this Article will be sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee.
6.The names of foreign minor players must also be reported to the Football Federation in accordance with Articles 21 and 22.
#Article 23Training compensation
As a general rule, training compensation is payable for training carried out between the ages of 12 and 21 and may be claimed up to the age of 23, unless it is established that the player's training was completed before the age of 21. In the latter case, training compensation is calculated only up to the end of the age at which it is established that the player's training actually ended, and is payable up to the end of the season in which the player reaches the age of 23. Training compensation must be paid irrespective of whether the transfer takes place during or at the end of the term of the player's previous contract.
1.Training compensation is paid to the clubs entitled to it in the following cases:
a: when the player concludes his first professional contract (before the end of the season of his 23rd birthday);
( or )
b: whenever a professional player is transferred before the end of the season of his 23rd birthday.
2.Training compensation may not be claimed in any of the following cases:
a - termination of the contract by the club without just cause (without prejudice to the rights of the former clubs)
b - the player is transferred two divisions (leagues) lower in the domestic competitions.
c - the player's status has changed from professional to amateur upon the transfer.
3.The obligation to pay training compensation does not preclude a claim for compensation arising from breach of contract.
4.Responsibility for paying training compensation to the former clubs rests with the new club, which pays it on the basis of the record set out in the player's football passport. In the event of a subsequent transfer, training compensation is paid only to that most recent club for the period during which the player was actually and effectively trained.
5.The new club must pay the training compensation to the former club within 30 days at the latest after the registration of the contract; otherwise it is subject to a late-payment penalty of 5% per month.
6.In the event of the dissolution or bankruptcy of an entitled club, that club's share of the training compensation must be paid to the Football Federation for investment in grassroots football.
7.Where the provisions on training compensation are disregarded or breached by clubs and players, the Disciplinary Committee will deal with the offenders in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
#Article 24Method of calculating training compensation
Pursuant to FIFA circular no. 1582 of 26 MAY 2017, Iranian football clubs are divided into four groups. In light of that circular, and in order to facilitate calculation, the following table has been drawn up as the minimum annual training compensation; it goes without saying that there is no bar to agreeing on a higher amount:
Player's age category Group One
(Premier League) Group Two
(Azadegan League) Group Three
(League Two) Group Four
(other competitions)
From 12 to 15 years
of age ten million
tomans per year eight
million tomans per year six
million tomans per year four
million tomans per year
From 16 to 21 years
of age twenty-
five million tomans per year twenty
million tomans per year ten
million tomans per year eight
million tomans per year
#Article 25The Football Federation's jurisdiction in the field of transfers
The Football Federation's jurisdiction in the field of transfers includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:
1.Disputes between players and clubs concerning the performance of contractual obligations, the maintenance of contractual stability, breaches of contract, termination of contracts, sporting sanctions and the determination of compensation.
2.Disputes between clubs concerning training compensation and its apportionment.
3.Other legal disputes between clubs relating to the field of transfers that are not referred to above.
4.Disputes of other persons, including managers, technical, medical, service and team-management staff, with clubs. 5 - Disputes of official transfer intermediaries and official match agents with players, coaches and clubs.
6.Examination of the authenticity of contracts and of their termination, in order to preserve the sporting integrity of the competitions.
#Article 26Players' Status Committee
1.This Committee hears all the above disputes at the domestic (national) level.
2.The members of this Committee are selected on the proposal of the President of the Federation and with the approval of the Executive Board.
3.This Committee consists of a maximum of 7 persons, comprising a chairman, a deputy chairman and five members.
4.If, in the course of proceedings, the Players' Status Committee finds evidence of a disciplinary offence, it is obliged to refer the file, together with a request for disciplinary proceedings, to the Federation's Disciplinary Committee through the Secretary General of the Federation.
5.If, in the course of proceedings, the Players' Status Committee finds evidence of the commission of a criminal offence, it is obliged to refer the file, together with a request for the reporting of the offence, to the competent judicial authority (the public prosecutor) through the Secretary General of the Federation.
6.After two full years have elapsed from the date on which the dispute arose, claims may not be brought or heard before the Players' Status Committee. The authority for determining the aforementioned limitation period is the Players' Status Committee, which must consider and address this matter of its own motion or at the request of the parties.
#Article 27Dispute Resolution Chamber
1.This Chamber hears all the disputes set out in Article 25 at the international level.
2.The implementing rules of this Article, comprising the composition of the members, the manner of their selection and the procedure for hearing the disputes brought, will be as set out in rules to be prepared by the Legal and Regulatory Drafting Committee and approved by the Federation's Executive Board.
3.Until such time as this Chamber is established within the Football Federation in compliance with the mandatory FIFA standards, its functions are performed by the Players' Status Committee.
#Article 28Transitional provisions
Any claim brought before the Federation prior to the entry into force of these Regulations is heard under the transfer regulations adopted in 2014. Likewise, in the case of contracts terminated before the date of adoption of these Regulations, disputes concerning their termination are heard under the transfer regulations adopted in 2014.
#Article 29Matters not provided for
In the event of matters or disputes arising for which no rule has been laid down in these Regulations or in the other regulations of the Football Federation and FIFA, the Players' Status Committee will act after obtaining the opinion of the Legal and Regulatory Drafting Committee and the approval of the Federation's Executive Board.
#Article 30Value of the annexes
The annexes form an integral part of these Regulations and have equal legal force with them.
#Article 31Approval and entry into force
These Regulations and their annexes were approved by the Executive Board of the Football Federation on 11 June 2017 and enter into force immediately after the date of approval; all laws and regulations, rules, directives and circulars contrary to them are repealed and of no effect.
Annexes
1.Release of players by clubs for national team duty
2.Contracts of persons other than players
3.List of names and documents required for registration
4.Status of players liable for and serving military service
Annex One
Release of players by clubs for national team duty
A: Principles for the release of players for the men's senior national team
1.Clubs are obliged to release their players where they are called up by the Federation for national team duty, and any agreement between the player and the club contrary to this rule is prohibited and unenforceable.
2.The release of players on the terms of the preceding Article is mandatory for all the international windows set out in the international match calendar, plus the final stage of the FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the confederations' senior national team championships.
3.The international football match calendar is drawn up and announced by FIFA for periods of 4 or 8 years.
4.An international window is a 9-day period beginning on Monday morning and ending on the Tuesday evening of the following week, set aside for national team activities. During this period, national teams play a maximum of 2 matches, whether official or friendly. The matches concerned may be scheduled on any day from Wednesday, and there must be an interval of at least two full days between the two matches (for example: Thursday / Sunday or Saturday / Tuesday).
5.A national team may play only two matches within the confederation during this international window, save where the match is an intercontinental play-off, in which case one of the two matches must be a friendly and the distance between the two stadiums must not exceed five hours of flying time in total.
6.The release of players outside the international window, or for competitions other than the final competitions which are not referred to in Article 1 paragraph 2 but are mentioned in the international calendar, is not mandatory. Likewise, the release of any player for the final competitions of the senior national team is not mandatory more than once a year.
7.Players' travel during the above international windows to join the national team must begin no later than Monday morning, and their return after the end of the international window must be no later than the Wednesday morning following the end of the international window. For the final competitions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3, the release of players and their travel must be no later than the Monday morning of the week preceding the start of the competitions, and their return is on the morning following the national team's last match.
8.Players are obliged to rejoin their club within 24 hours at the latest after the end of the release period; where the matches are on a continent other than that in which the club is located, this period may be extended to 48 hours. The players' travel schedule for the outward and return journeys must be notified to the clubs in writing 10 days before the start of the release period. The Federation must ensure that the player rejoins the club in good time after the match.
B: Principles for the release of players for the women's senior national team
1.Clubs are obliged to release their players where they are called up by the Federation for national team duty, and any agreement between the player and the club contrary to this rule is prohibited and unenforceable.
2.The release of players on the terms of the preceding paragraph is mandatory for all the international windows set out in the international women's match calendar, plus the final stage of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the final stage of the women's Olympic qualifying competition (a maximum of 12 days), the women's Olympic final competitions and the confederation's senior national team championships.
3.There are three types of international window for the release of players of women's teams:
Type one: a 9-day period beginning on Monday morning and ending on the Tuesday evening of the following week, set aside for national team activities. During this period, national teams play a maximum of 2 matches, whether official or friendly. The matches concerned may be scheduled on any day from Wednesday, and there must be an interval of at least two full days between the two matches (for example: Thursday / Sunday or Saturday / Tuesday).
Type two: a 9-day period beginning on Monday morning and ending on the Tuesday evening of the following week, set aside for national team activities in the confederation's qualifying competitions; during this period a maximum of three matches may be played.
Type three: a 10-day period beginning on Monday morning and ending on the Wednesday evening of the following week, dedicated to the national team's friendly matches, held in February and March each year. During this period, the national team may play a maximum of four matches.
4.The release of players outside the international window, or for competitions other than the final competitions which are referred to in Article 1 paragraph 2 but are mentioned in the international women's calendar, is not mandatory.
5.Women players' travel in the 3 types of international window above to join the national team must begin no later than Monday morning, and their return after the end of the international window must be no later than the Wednesday morning for types one and two, and no later than the Thursday morning for type three, following the end of the international window. For the confederation's final Olympic qualifying competitions, the release of players and their travel must be no later than the Monday morning before the opening match of the competitions, and their return is on the morning following the national team's last match. For the final competitions referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 above, players must begin their travel on the morning fourteen days before the opening match of the competitions and must be released on the morning following their team's last match.
6.Players are obliged to rejoin their club within 24 hours at the latest after the end of the release period; where the matches are on a continent other than that in which the club is located, this period may be extended to 48 hours. The players' travel schedule for the outward and return journeys must be notified to the clubs in writing 10 days before the start of the release period. The Federation must ensure that the player rejoins her club in good time after the match.
C: Principles for the release of players for the futsal national team
1.Clubs are obliged to release their players where they are called up by the Federation for national team duty, and any agreement between the player and the club contrary to this rule is prohibited and unenforceable.
2.The release of players on the terms of the preceding paragraph is mandatory for all the international windows set out in the international futsal match calendar, plus the final stage of the FIFA Futsal World Cup and the confederations' senior national team championships.
3.There are two types of international window for the release of players of women's teams:
Type one: a 10-day period beginning on Monday morning and ending on the Wednesday evening of the following week, dedicated to national team activities. During this period each national team may play, irrespective of the type of matches, a maximum of four matches and in a maximum of two confederations.
Type two: a 4-day period beginning on Sunday morning and ending on the Wednesday evening of the same week, dedicated to national team activities. During this period each national team may play, irrespective of the type of matches, a maximum of two matches within the same confederation.
4.The release of players outside the international window, or for competitions other than the final competitions which are referred to in Article 1 paragraph 2 but are mentioned in the international futsal calendar, is not mandatory.
5.Players' travel in the 2 types of international window above to join the national team must begin no later than the morning of the first day of the international window (Sunday or Monday), and their return after the end of the international window must be no later than the Thursday morning following the end of the international window. For the final championship competitions within the confederation, the release of players and their travel must be on the morning 12 days before the start of the competitions, and their return is on the morning following the national team's last match. For the final competitions of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, players must begin their travel on the morning fourteen days before the opening match of the competitions and must be released on the morning following their team's last match.
6.Players are obliged to rejoin their club within 24 hours at the latest after the end of the release period; where the matches are on a continent other than that in which the club is located, this period may be extended to 48 hours. The players' travel schedule for the outward and return journeys must be notified to the clubs in writing 10 days before the start of the release period. The Federation must ensure that the player rejoins his club in good time after the match.
D: Sanctions and disciplinary measures
1.In all the above cases, where players employed by Iranian clubs fail to return to their clubs by the prescribed time, the Federation's Disciplinary Committee must, upon the written request of the club, examine the matter and, where fault on the part of the player is established, reduce that player's release period on subsequent occasions by between two and five days.
2.Where Iranian clubs breach the provisions on the release of players in any way, the Federation's Disciplinary Committee must, relying on the disciplinary regulations of the Football Federation, examine the matter and impose the necessary sanctions.
E: Financial provisions and insurance
1.Clubs are not entitled to claim financial compensation for releasing their players under the provisions of this annex.
2.The Federation undertakes to bear all the players' travel costs relating to the call-up to the national team.
3.The club concerned undertakes to insure the player against all illnesses or accidents throughout the release period, as well as against injuries relating to his participation in the national team's international matches.
4.Where one of the professional players called up to the national team suffers bodily injury as a result of an accident during his period of participation in A international competitions and, as a result of that accident, temporarily loses the ability to play, the club with which the said player has a registered contract receives compensation from FIFA. The terms and conditions relating to this are communicated by FIFA under the Club Protection Programme.
F: Call-up of players to the national team
1.As a general rule, all registered players who are eligible on the basis of their nationality to play for the national team are obliged to accept the Federation's call-up to attend and play for the national team.
2.The Federation must inform the player concerned in writing of the national team call-up 15 days before the first day of the international window. In the case of the final stage of international competitions, the Federation is obliged to inform the player and the club in writing 15 days before the start of the relevant release period. The Federation must also inform the club concerned of this call-up in writing at the same time. The club concerned must confirm in writing, within six days of receiving the Federation's call-up notice, the release of the player at the prescribed time. In the case of players at foreign clubs, the Iranian federation must also inform the foreign federation concerned of this call-up in writing at the same time.
G: Injured players
A player who has been called up to the national team and who is unable to accept the said call-up on grounds of injury or illness must, if the Federation so requests, attend for medical examinations and tests under the supervision of a doctor designated by the Federation. If this player is a member of a foreign club, he may request that these examinations and tests be carried out in the country concerned.
H: Restriction on playing
A player called up to the national team is on no account entitled to play for his club during the release period (or the period during which he should have been released under these provisions) plus a further 5 days, except with the agreement of the Football Federation; fielding such a player without the agreement of the Football Federation is deemed to constitute the fielding of an ineligible player.
Annex Two
Contracts of persons other than players
#Article 1
The contracts of persons other than players — including coaches and medical staff, team-management (administrative) staff, service staff, interpreters, media officers and other members permitted to accompany their team from the bench during a match — are not subject to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players; only players' contracts are subject to the transfer regulations.
#Article 2
Coaches and medical staff, team-management (administrative) staff, service staff, interpreters, media officers and other members permitted to accompany their team from the bench during a match are required, in order to obtain the card for participation in matches, to conclude a written contract and submit it to the League Organisation. Although such a contract is not subject to the transfer regulations, it must at a minimum include the particulars and addresses of the parties, the subject matter of the contract, the term of validity, the amount of remuneration and the terms of its payment, a precise description of the post, a description of duties, and the rights and obligations of the parties towards each other.
#Article 3
Any clause that is not contrary to the mandatory laws of the country, the statutes and other mandatory regulations of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the Football Federation may be included in this contract and is enforceable. Article 4 - The registration of the contracts of the aforementioned persons is possible at any time, even outside the permitted player transfer periods.
#Article 5All coaches must obtain the approval of the Education Committee in order to receive the permit and the card for participation in matches
of the Football Federation.
#Article 6All medical staff must obtain the approval of the Medical Committee of the Football Federation in order to receive the permit and the card for participation in matches.
#Article 7
All foreign coaches must first provide the Technical and Development Committee of the Football Federation with their coaching records and valid qualifications so that these records may be examined and, following confirmation of their technical and academic competence, they may receive authorisation to work.
#Article 8
Foreign coaches who do not hold the approval of the Technical and Development Committee of the Football Federation will not be entitled to work in Iranian football.
Annex Three
List of players' names and documents required for registration
#Article 1List of players' names
Every club must register its eligible players with the League Organisation, after the conclusion of contracts, in accordance with the directive issued by the Football League Organisation which is determined and announced before the start of the competition season, within the permitted transfer period. The said directive may not in any part be contrary to the transfer regulations, and in any part in which it is contrary it is deemed void and unenforceable.
Note: The age composition of the list of players' names, the usable quota of Premier League players and foreign players, and the manner of using under-23, youth and junior players will be in accordance with a directive which the League Organisation proposes annually to the Football Federation and which will be enforceable after the approval of the Legal and Regulatory Drafting Committee and the Federation's Executive Board.
#Article 2List of surplus players
a - Clubs are required, up to 30 days before the end of the transfer deadline, to notify the list of their players who are under contract but surplus to requirements officially and in writing to the surplus players themselves and also to the transfers unit of the League Organisation; failing this, and where a club, despite not having listed a player's name among the surplus players, does not include his name in the list of players submitted to the League Organisation for registration, it will be obliged to pay the player the salary and benefits stipulated in the contract until the conclusion of a contract with a new club or the expiry of the term of the contract, whichever comes first. The said club will also, in addition to paying the aforementioned sums, be ordered to pay compensation amounting to twenty per cent of the total contractual salary and benefits.
b - A player whose name has not been announced on the surplus list and who has also not been included in the list submitted to the League Organisation for registration may, after the end of the transfer period, terminate his contract and conclude a contract with any other club.
c - A player whose name has been announced on the list of surplus players and who has been officially and in writing informed of this, but who has not succeeded in concluding a contract with another club, is entitled solely to the salary and benefits stipulated in the contract until the conclusion of a contract with a new club or the expiry of the term of the contract, whichever comes first, but no compensation is due to him.
#Article 3Documents required for registration and for the issuance of the participation permit and match card
a - After the documents have been submitted and examined and registered with the transfers unit of the League Organisation, a player may play in an official match only if a card for participation in matches has been issued by the Football League Organisation for his participation in that season's series of matches. Accordingly, a club may field the said player only if it holds the player's match card.
b - The transfers registration unit is obliged, after examining the following items, to proceed with the issuance of the player's card for participation in matches.
• identity document (all pages)
• national identity card
• document showing military service status or exemption
• certificate of enrolment in education for players up to 18 years of age, from the schools in the area where the club operates
• a standard 4 * 6 full-face photograph and a photograph in sports kit with the assigned number, if required
• completion and submission of the personal particulars form
• the inter-provincial transfer slip in accordance with the Federation's directive, for those applying for a transfer out of a province
0 written certification from the judicial bodies of the Football Federation, only in respect of persons against whom a decision or interim order banning their activity has previously been issued.
c - Where the transfers registration unit, after examining the documents of players and coaches, observes any deficiencies, it reports the matter without delay to the Secretary General of the Football League Organisation so that the club may be informed.
d - The original contracts of players, coaches and other club staff, together with the completed personal particulars form, the list of names and also a CD containing scans of all the accompanying documents, in particular the contracts, must be submitted to the transfers registration unit of the Football League Organisation at the appointed time.
e - Where the documents are complete, the Secretary General of the League Organisation refers the matter without delay to the transfers registration unit of the League Organisation for the issuance of the card for participation in matches.
Annex Four
Status of players liable for and serving military service
#Article 1
Pursuant to Article 50 of the implementing regulations of the Public Service Act, the following documents are required in order to clarify players' military service status:
service completion card, permanent exemption card, temporary exemption card within its period of validity, educational certificate approved by the military service authority, certificate of employment in the armed forces, certificate of undertaking to serve in the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, the Shipping Organisation and other approved organisations, call-up papers without an absence stamp, certificate of engagement in compulsory service.
#Article 2
Players liable for military service may play for the club with which the player has had a contract only if they obtain written authorisation from the Physical Education Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
#Article 3
Written authorisation from the Physical Education Directorate of the Armed Forces for the participation of players liable for military service in a non-military club with which the player has had a contract is required for a minimum period of one season.
#Article 4
Players liable for military service may play for military and law-enforcement clubs upon obtaining written authorisation from the Physical Education Directorate of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran which is valid for at least one season.
#Article 5
Military and law-enforcement clubs may not conclude contracts with, and employ, persons liable for military service for more than two seasons (until the end of their service).
#Article 6
Military and law-enforcement clubs may not conclude or extend their contracts with players undergoing military service before the end of their military service.
#Article 7
Players undergoing military service may, upon completion of their military service period, rejoin their former club solely within the two permitted transfer periods.
#Article 8
Players undergoing military service may, after the end of their military service period, continue their activity with the same military or law-enforcement team until the end of the first or second half of the season, solely with the agreement of the club with which they have a valid contract.
Note: The continuation of this activity may not be on the pretext of extended service, disciplinary punishment or other matters preventing release.
#Article 9
Players undergoing military service who return to their former club after the end of their military service period do not count towards the Premier League quota.
#Article 10
Military and law-enforcement clubs may, observing the cap on the number of players provided for other teams, sign conscript players during the mid-season transfer period in compliance with the other provisions and, after registration, field them in official matches.
#Article 11
Military and law-enforcement clubs, like other clubs, may recruit or sign players solely within the two permitted transfer periods (before the start of the season and in the mid-season).
#Article 12
Military and law-enforcement clubs may transfer their recruited and serving conscript players to other military and law-enforcement teams, subject to obtaining new written authorisation from the Physical Education Directorate of the Armed Forces and within the permitted transfer period.