Football·International Regulations·FIFA
FIFA RSTP-2018 June
- Adopted
- 2018/03/16
- In force from
- 2018/06/01
The June 2018 edition of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, approved on 16 March 2018 and in force from 1 June 2018; article 14bis recognised the player's right to terminate a contract on grounds of overdue payables.
| Approval | 16 March 2018 — FIFA Council |
| In force from | 1 June 2018 |
| Structure | 29 articles (including 14bis and 24bis) + 7 annexes |
| Status | Repealed — superseded by the June 2019 edition |
What are the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players?
The FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) determine the global and binding 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 mechanisms of training compensation and solidarity contribution. Some of the provisions of these regulations must be incorporated without modification into the domestic regulations of each national association.
About the June 2018 editionChanges from January 2018
This edition was approved by the FIFA Council on 16 March 2018 and came into force on 1 June 2018. From the standpoint of protecting players against non-payment, it is the most significant edition in this family.
Key changes from the previous edition
- Introduction of article 14bis — termination of a contract on grounds of overdue payablesFor the first time it was made express that where a club unlawfully fails to pay a player at least two monthly salaries on their due dates, the player has "just cause" to terminate the contract — provided that the player has put the club in default in writing and has granted a deadline of at least 15 days. For salaries not paid on a monthly basis, the equivalent of two months is calculated pro rata, and a delay in the payment of an amount equivalent to two months likewise constitutes just cause.
- Introduction of article 24bis — enforcement of monetary decisionsThe mechanism for enforcing monetary decisions was for the first time introduced into the regulations as a standalone article.
- Expansion of the concept of just cause in article 14It was added that any abusive conduct by a party aimed at forcing the counterparty to terminate the contract or to change its terms entitles that counterparty to terminate with just cause.
- Express formal requirement in article 12bisThe requirement of "putting in default in writing and granting a deadline of at least ten days" for establishing overdue payables was fixed in the text of the article.
Who this document matters to
For clubs engaged in international transfers, players and coaches under contract with a foreign club, 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.