What is third-party ownership in football?
Third-party ownership is when someone other than the clubs involved owns a share of a player's future transfer fee. FIFA has banned new agreements of this kind since 1 May 2015. Previous clubs the player was registered with are not third parties, so a sell-on clause for a former club is allowed.
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The ban
Article 18ter of FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players says no club or player may agree with a third party that it will share in compensation for the player's future transfer, or be assigned any rights in a future transfer. The ban took effect on 1 May 2015.
Who is a third party
Anyone other than the player, the two clubs in the transfer, and any previous club the player has been registered with. So investment funds, companies, agents and private investors are third parties. A former club is not.
Third-party influence
Article 18bis separately bans contracts that let another club or a third party influence a club's independence, policies or team performance in employment and transfer matters.
What is still allowed
- A sell-on clause for a club the player was registered with.
- A player's own share in his transfer fee, which from 2027 is mandatory for many players.
- Training compensation and solidarity payments to training clubs.
Below the top division, the deal is found, not bought.
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Questions people also ask
Can an agent own part of a player's transfer rights?
No. An agent is not the player, one of the two clubs or a previous club, so under FIFA's definition an agent is a third party and the ban applies.
What happens if a club breaks the ban?
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee can impose disciplinary measures on clubs and players who do not comply.