A legal guide to training compensation in football under the FIFA Regulations

This guide focuses on Articles 20 entitled “Training compensation” of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (“RSTP”)¹ that provides as follows:

“Training compensation shall be paid to a player’s training club(s): (1) when a player signs his first contract as a professional, and (2) each time a professional is transferred until the end of the season of his 23rd birthday. The obligation to pay training compensation arises whether the transfer takes place during or at the end of the player’s contract. The provisions concerning training compensation are set out in Annexe 4 of these regulations.”

It does not address the domestic rules that may apply to the movement of young players between clubs belonging to the same national association: see for example the rules relating to the Elite Player Performance Plan.

This guide provides answer to following question regarding Training Compensation: 

• How much are annual training costs?
• What training compensation is payable?
• What is the process for making the relevant payment(s)?
• What happens if a player’s training history cannot fully be ascertained?
• Exceptions to the requirement to pay training compensation 
• Timeframe for payment of training compensation

This article is based on a previous article by the author 'A guide to training compensation and solidarity payments in football'.