FIFA Disciplinary Code, 2019 edition

About the 2019 editioncomplete rewrite

Pursuant to article 72, this document was approved by the FIFA Council at its meeting of 3 June 2019 in Paris and came into force on 15 July 2019. This edition is the most fundamental rewrite in the history of the FIFA Disciplinary Code: the number of articles was reduced from 147 to 72 and the structure of the document was rearranged into five titles (general provisions, offences, organisation and jurisdiction, special procedures, final provisions).

Key changes from the previous edition

1. Establishment of a hierarchy of applicable lawFor the first time it was expressly provided that FIFA's judicial bodies base their decisions primarily on the FIFA Statutes, regulations, circulars, directives and decisions and the Laws of the Game, and additionally on Swiss law. No such article existed in the 2011 and 2017 editions.
2. Introduction of the standard of proof and the evaluation of evidenceDedicated articles on "evidence, evaluation of evidence and standard of proof" were added to the text, and the standard of comfortable satisfaction was expressly stated for the first time in this family of instruments.
3. Determination of temporal scopeA standalone article provided that these regulations apply to offences committed after their entry into force and also to prior offences — unless the previous regulations provided for a more lenient sanction (the principle of the more favourable law).
4. Express continuity of jurisdictionIt was added that disciplinary proceedings against a person who was subject to FIFA's jurisdiction at the time the offence was committed are not discontinued merely because that person is no longer subject to that jurisdiction.
5. Extension of the scope as to personsThe list of those covered was updated, and intermediaries and match officials holding a licence were included in it.
6. Introduction of the "single judge" into the Disciplinary CommitteeAn article entitled "jurisdiction of the single judges of the Disciplinary Committee" was added, and in the Appeal Committee the "jurisdiction of the chairperson to adjudicate alone" was likewise expressly provided for.