FIFA Circular 1973 reminds associations and clubs of Clearing House compliance duties

FIFA's Circular no. 1973, dated 15 September 2026 and signed by Secretary General Mattias Grafström, reminds member associations and their clubs of the key compliance obligations behind the FIFA Clearing House and the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP).

According to FIFA, the Clearing House "plays a key role in the distribution of training rewards and promotes financial transparency and integrity in the football transfer system". Since November 2022, more than USD 1 billion has been allocated to training clubs, of which USD 700 million has been distributed to almost 3,000 clubs worldwide. The circular lists five areas of compliance.

Electronic systems and accurate data

Under the FIFA Clearing House Regulations (FCHR) and the RSTP, associations and clubs must use the Transfer Matching System (TMS) and related electronic systems so that registration and transfer data reach FIFA automatically. Each association must run a player registration system integrated with FIFA Connect, plus an electronic domestic transfer system for national transfers of professionals and amateurs, male and female, in eleven-a-side football.

Registration information must be accurate and up to date at all times; failure may be sanctioned under article 17 paragraph 3 of the FCHR, including a fine and an order to pay restitution to the affected training clubs. Associations must also keep accurate data on their current and former clubs, including each club's training category, and, when asked by the FIFA general secretariat, provide or confirm club contact details, including a valid email address, within 15 days.

On training categorisation, associations must divide their clubs into a maximum of four categories according to their financial investment in training players. The category must be kept up to date in the registration system and in TMS, must be valid for the entire season and cannot be amended mid-season. FIFA may adjust a category to the nearest available one, and associations that fail to categorise clubs properly may face the administrative sanction procedure under Annexe 3 to the RSTP.

Proof of payment within 30 days

For an international transfer involving transfer compensation, the new club must upload proof of each payment in TMS within 30 days of the date of payment. The same 30-day deadline applies to national transfers with transfer compensation, where the new club, or the association for transfers manually declared in TMS, uploads the proof in the domestic transfer system. Changes to payment terms must be declared as soon as agreed.

FIFA calls the timely upload "a key regulatory obligation" and says the general secretariat will closely monitor the deadline. Breaches may be sanctioned and referred to the independent Disciplinary Committee, which can impose a higher fine and/or more severe sanctions under the FIFA Disciplinary Code, including a ban on registering new players.

Amateur or professional: only two categories

FIFA says it has observed domestic loans and permanent transfers for players registered as amateurs, some involving transfer compensation or player remuneration. Article 2 of the RSTP recognises only two categories, amateurs and professionals, and this is binding at national level. A professional has a written contract and is paid more for their footballing activity than the expenses they incur; all others are amateurs. Associations cannot modify these categories or create new ones, and any contract must be measured solely against these criteria.

Where the criteria are met, the player must be registered as a professional, and any transfer compensation must be declared with timely proof of payment. FIFA also reminds associations that article 10 of the RSTP on loans applies exclusively to professionals, citing the RSTP Commentary: an amateur "is, by definition, not bound to a club by a contract", so there is no legal basis for a loan with an obligation to return. Domestic loans should, as a matter of principle, concern only professionals. The circular does not address agents directly, but the status criteria apply to every player who signs a written contract with a club.

Duty to cooperate

Finally, associations and clubs must cooperate with FIFA on requests for information and documentation connected with the Clearing House; non-compliance may be referred to the Disciplinary Committee. FIFA closes by calling the Clearing House "a resounding success". Questions go to [email protected].