Third party ownership of players: FIFA discusses timing and prerequisites of future regulations

The FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) working group on third-party ownership of players’ economic rights (TPO) met in Zurich (SUI) on 30/10/2014 to discuss the timing of implementing the ban on this practice (after a transition period). The ban on TPO was decided by the FIFA Executive Committee on 26/09/2014.

Chaired by the Englishman Geoff Thompson, chairman of the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber and a member of the FIFA Players' Status Committee, the TPO working group "has been tasked with drafting the necessary and adequate regulations to be included in the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players with the aim to present them to FIFA’s Players’ Status Committee, as well as to the other competent FIFA bodies and ultimately to the Executive Committee for approval," stated FIFA.

"So we are talking about 6 (transfer windows, 3 years) or 8 (4 years)" (J. Valcke)

• "As with financial fair play, the ban (on TPO) can not be implemented immediately, and we are discussing about the number of transfer windows we have to keep in order for this ban to be…