According to article 18 of the FIFA statute of October 2022, if an intermediary is involved in the negotiation of a contract, he shall be named in that contract.
The minimum length of a contract shall be from its effective date until the end of the season, while the maximum length of a contract shall be five years. Contracts of any other length shall only be permitted if consistent with national laws. Players under the age of 18 years may not sign a professional contract for a term longer than three years. Any clause referring to a longer period shall not be recognized.
A club intending to conclude a contract with a professional must inform the player’s current club in writing before entering into negotiations with him. A professional shall only be free to conclude a contract with another club if his contract with his present club has expired or is due to expire within six months. Any breach of this provision shall be subject to appropriate sanctions.
The validity of a contract may not be made subject to a successful medical examination and/or the grant of a work permit.
If a professional enters into more than one contract covering the same period, the paragraph above will apply.
Contractual clauses granting the club additional time to pay to the professional amounts that have fallen due under the terms of the contract (grace period) shall not be recognized. Grace periods contained in a collective bargain agreement validly negotiated by employers’ and employees’ representatives at domestic level in accordance with national law shall, however, be legally binding and recognized. Contract which were already existing at the time the provision of the statute came into force shall not be affected by the above provision.