Can FIFA regulate agents?

What is the role of a football agent? We hear on the news about agents involved in transfer negotiations between clubs and players, but what exactly do they do and how do they operate in relation to FIFA, football's international governing body. Antitrust and competition lawyer, Matt Scott, joins Rithik to discuss FIFA's new regulations on football agents and some of the key areas of controversy.

FIFA has a long and convoluted history of regulating football agents spanning nearly 30 years, with regulations published in 2008 and 2015. A new set of regulations on football agents (the FIFA Football Agent Regulations) will come into force on 1 October 2023. What are the key provisions? What is the cap on agents’ commissions? How will the new regulations and any fall-out impact clubs, players and agents?