Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (March 2020)
The March 2020 edition of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, approved on 24 October 2019 and in force from 1 March 2020; Article 5bis introduced the prohibition of "bridge transfers" into the Regulations.
| Approval | 24 October 2019 — FIFA Council |
| In force from | 1 March 2020 |
| Structure | 29 articles (including 5bis) + 7 annexes |
| Status | Superseded — replaced by the June 2020 edition |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 for training rewards and solidarity. Some of the provisions of these Regulations must be incorporated without modification into the internal regulations of each national association.
About the March 2020 editionChanges from January 2020
This edition was approved by the FIFA Council on 24 October 2019 and entered into force on 1 March 2020.
Key changes from the previous edition
- Addition of Article 5bis — prohibition of bridge transfersFor the first time, it was provided that no club or player shall be involved in a "bridge transfer". Legal presumption: where two consecutive transfers of the same player occur within 16 weeks, the parties are presumed to have been involved in a bridge transfer, unless proven otherwise. Violations are subject to proceedings before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
- Definition of "bridge transfer" in the definitions provisionsDefined as "two consecutive national or international transfers of the same player which are connected to each other, and where the registration of the player with the intermediate club was carried out in order to circumvent the application of the relevant regulations or laws".
- Clarification of the purpose of registering a playerIt was added that a player may be registered with a club only "for the purpose of playing organised football", and that registration for purely technical reasons intended to give transparency to consecutive transactions constitutes an exception.
- Obligation to upload third-party contracts in full to TMSClubs were required to upload such contracts, with all annexes and amendments, together with the details of the third party, the full name of the player and the duration of the contract, in TMS.
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.