Under-15s are exempt from FIFA sanctions against clubs to register players

FIFA has just sent a circular to all confederations and clubs in the world reminding them of its power to ban the registration of players, whether nationally or internationally.

A circular responding to the massive increase in registration bans imposed in recent years, so they sent a letter to provide general information and recall the scope of this disciplinary measure in addition to informing about the scenario in which they

Sanction that can be imposed by FIFA when there is a termination of a contract without just cause, the unilateral termination of a contract due to the fact that the player is pregnant or has become pregnant or the failure to pay the corresponding amounts on time

Pursuant to article 6 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee can impose a “ban on the registration of new players” only on legal entities, specifically clubs. Prohibition of registration is the most frequently imposed penalty for offenses related to the international migration of minors.

A club subject to a registration ban will be prohibited from registering new players, whether players, at national or international level, as novices or professionals, at any stage. In other words, the club will only be able to register new players once the ban has been fulfilled. In which case, the club can only register new players from the next registration period following full compliance with the relevant penalty or when the ban is lifted. Both national and international.

The important exception is the youth

But in order not to hinder the development of young footballers, from now on a club subject to the registration ban will be able to register players in its youth teams.

However, this possibility is limited to players up to 15 years old. Newly enrolled players

a youth team during the registration ban period may not play for the club’s first team or any other professional club team until the registration ban period ends.

With this proposal, FIFA seeks to break the chain of children and young people as the first teams are sanctioned. Until now it has caused men and women to lose their jobs due to non-payment.

The Federations, which are responsible for registrations

As FIFA recalls in the letter, it is the association’s responsibility to ensure that the ban is also applied correctly at the national level on its own registration platform and at the international level. In the case of Spain, the Spanish Football Federation.

Each association must demonstrate to the FIFA administration that the measure has been duly applied. In other words, the member associations are ultimately responsible for ensuring that no player is registered for the club throughout the duration of the ban, regardless of whether the registration originates from a domestic or international transfer.

The ban on registration is carried out automatically and takes effect immediately from the date of communication. This prohibition applies to all registrations that have not been completed at the time of communication.

As a general rule, and unless specified in the relevant decision, the ban on registration will be applied to the sixth where it is violated and to the discipline of the party or parties that issued said decision.

Other exceptions to this penalty

The registration ban imposed on a club does not prevent it from signing new contracts, only the participation in official and friendly matches of said players.

In any case, this penalty, as recalled by FIFA, includes a series of exceptions:

a) The return of the loan from a professional, when the contract naturally expires.

b) The extension of a loan by a professional, beyond the natural expiration of the loan contract.

c) The specific hiring of a professional temporarily registered in the club directly before the ban on registration

d) The registration of a professional already registered in the club as a novice directly before the registration ban.