A newer edition of this regulation is available: January 2027

Football·International Regulations·FIFA

FIFA RSTP-2012

Superseded2012
Adopted
2012/09/27
In force from
2012/12/01
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The 2012 edition of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, approved on 27 September 2012 and in force from 1 December 2012; article 12 on the enforcement of disciplinary sanctions in international transfers was rewritten in full.

Approval27 September 2012 — FIFA Executive Committee
In force from1 December 2012
Structure29 articles + 5 annexes
StatusSuperseded — replaced by the 2014 edition

What is the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players?

The FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) determine the binding global framework for the registration of players, their amateur or professional status, transfers between clubs affiliated to different associations, contractual stability, the protection of minors, and the training compensation and solidarity mechanisms. A number of the provisions of these regulations must be incorporated without modification into the internal rules of every national association.

About the 2012 editionChanges from the 2010 edition

This edition was approved on 27 September 2012 by the FIFA Executive Committee and entered into force on 1 December 2012.

Principal changes from the previous edition

  1. Rewriting of article 12 — enforcement of disciplinary sanctionsThe title of the article changed from "Enforcement of disciplinary suspensions" to "Enforcement of disciplinary sanctions", and in place of the previous general rule a two-tier regime was established: sanctions of up to four matches or up to three months, which are enforced automatically by the new association, and sanctions exceeding that, which are enforceable only where worldwide effect has been extended to them by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
  2. Duty of notification through TMSThe former association was placed under a duty, when issuing the International Transfer Certificate (ITC), to notify the new association of any sanction not yet served — through TMS for professional players and in writing for amateurs.
  3. Express statement of the effects of a registration ban on a clubIt was added that a club subject to a ban on registering players may register a new player only from the registration period following the full expiry of the ban, and may not rely on the exceptions and provisional measures of article 6 to register a player earlier.
  4. Referral of proceedings to the dedicated procedural rulesIt was made express that proceedings are governed by the "Rules Governing the Procedures of the Players' Status Committee and the Dispute Resolution Chamber".

Who this document matters to

For clubs engaged in international transfers, players and coaches under contract with a foreign club, and agents and sports lawyers, this document is the principal basis for the legal assessment of a case. In any dispute, the applicable edition of the regulations is the one that was in force at the time the relevant event occurred; for that reason, access to the text of earlier editions is of practical importance for past cases.