The end of the transfer system (?)

20 Pages Posted: 28 Jun 2024

See all articles by Stefan Szymanski

Stefan Szymanski

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor

Date Written: June 01, 2024

Abstract

The player transfer system of professional football is an exceptional mechanism for controlling worker mobility. Under FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), an employee under contract may not seek employment at another club, and another club may not approach the player while under contract without the permission of the current club. Failure to observe these rules can result in large financial penalties and sporting sanctions. On April 30, the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice issued an opinion that "the FIFA rules governing contractual relations between players and clubs may prove to be contrary to the European rules on competition and freedom of movement of persons." If this opinion is adopted by the court, the current system will have to be replaced, leading to significant changes in the way that player contracts are governed. This paper explores the rationale for the transfer system and the implications of its abolition.

Keywords: football, soccer, transfer system, player labor market, sports law, Diarra

Suggested Citation

Szymanski, Stefan, The end of the transfer system (?) (June 01, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4876078 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4876078

Stefan Szymanski (Contact Author)

University of Michigan at Ann Arbor ( email )

500 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
United States

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