FIFA Football agents make money by providing football agent services (negotiating player employment contracts, representing the club, organising trials) and other services such as scouting, consultancy, image-rights management and commercial work for players, coaches or clubs, depending on who hired the agent.
The client who hires the agent for the services pays the agent, as we covered who pays a FIFA-licensed football agent for their services.
As provided by the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR), there is a difference between Football Agent Services or Other Services. The key difference is that Football Agent Services are subject to FIFA’s service fee caps, while Other Services are not subject to those same caps.
Football Agent Services
Football agents primarily make money by negotiating and concluding player transfers and employment contracts, facilitating trials and representing clubs in transfers. These are regarded as Football Agent Services under the FIFA Football Agent Regulations(FFAR). FFAR defines Football Agent Services as football-related services performed for or on behalf of a client, including negotiations, communications relating or preparatory to negotiations, and other related activities carried out with the purpose or intention of concluding a Transaction.
In simple terms, where an agent represents a player in negotiating an employment contract, assists with a transfer or represents a club in completing a transaction, the agent is providing Football Agent Services and may receive a service fee for that work.
Football Agents Can Also Make Money From Other Services
Today, football agents do not only negotiate football transfers or playing contracts. They also negotiate image-rights agreements, sponsorships, advertisements and endorsements for their clients.These services fall within what the FIFA Football Agent Regulations describe as Other Services.
The FFAR defines Other Services as any services performed by a Football Agent for or on behalf of a Client other than Football Agent Services, including, but not limited to, providing legal advice, financial planning, scouting, consultancy, management of image rights and negotiating commercial contracts.
The key difference between Football Agent Services and Other Services is that Football Agent Services are subject to FIFA’s service fee caps, while Other Services are not subject to those same caps.
For example, the FFAR caps the commission an agent can receive when representing a player or coach at 3% or 5% of the player or coach’s remuneration, depending on the applicable circumstances.
However, where the agent provides an Other service, such as negotiating an image-rights or sponsorship agreement, that fee is not subject to the same service fee cap.
An agent could, for example, agree to receive 30% for negotiating a sponsorship agreement for a player.This means that, in addition to football transactions, agents can build additional sources of income by helping their clients secure and manage commercial opportunities. The Super Agent Jorge Mendes built Gestifute to focus on agency and representation and Polaris Sports to handle the commercial and marketing operations.
Presumption of Football Agent Services Under Article 15(3) of the FFAR
An agent cannot simply label Football Agent Services as Other Services to avoid FIFA’s service fee caps.
Article 15(3) of the FFAR provides that where a Football Agent or a Connected Football Agent performs Other Services for a client involved in a Transaction during the 24 months before or after that Transaction, FIFA will presume that those Other Services formed part of the Football Agent Services performed in that Transaction, unless proven otherwise.
This resumption will be rebuttal if the agent can prove what services were performed, why they were separate from the Football Agent Services and how the corresponding fee was determined.
Frequently Asked Questions on How Football Agents Make Money.
Q: Do football agents only make money from negotiating football contracts?
A: No. While football agents primarily make money from negotiating football transfers and employment contracts, they can also make money by providing other services, including negotiating sponsorship agreements, image-rights agreements, endorsements and other commercial arrangements.
Q: What are Other Services under the FFAR?
A: Other Services includes services performed by a Football Agent for or on behalf of a client that are not Football Agent Services. Common examples include scouting, consultancy, legal advice, financial planning, image-rights management and negotiating commercial contracts.
Q: Do Other Services fall within the scope of the FFAR?
A: No. Other Services do not fall within the scope of the FFAR in the sense that FIFA does not regulate their conduct except incases where they are used to circumvent or manipulate the service fee cap on Football Agents.
Q: Is there any difference between Football Agent Services and Other Services?
A: Yes.The key difference for an agent’s earnings is that Football Agent Services are subject to FIFA’s service fee caps, while Other Services are not subject to those same caps.
Q: How much can a football agent charge?
A: The The amount depends on factors including who the agent represents. When an agent represents the player or buying club, he can only charge 5% (if annual remuneration ≤ USD 200,000) or 3% (if above) and 6% or 10% if he represents both. If an agent represents the selling club, he will receive to 10% of the transfer compensation received by the selling club.
Interested in Becoming a FIFA-Licensed Football Agent?
Unlike before, when the process of becoming a football agent existed in a grey area, the pathway is now clearer and more structured following the introduction of the mandatory FIFA Football Agent Exam.
For anyone interested in becoming a FIFA-licensed football agent, the next FIFA registration window is expected to open in January 2027, with the exam scheduled for April/May 2027. You can read our guide on What You Need to Know Before Taking the FIFA Agent Exam 2027 to understand the exam, how to prepare and what to do.