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Global Transfer Market 2011 Please send me _____ copies of Global Transfer Market 2011 Merci de m’envoyer _____ exemplaires de Global Transfer Market 2011 Por favor, solicito que me envíen _____ copias del Global Transfer Market 2011 Bitte senden Sie mir _____ Kopien von „Global Transfer Market 2011“ I would like to provide feedback on Global Transfer Market 2011 Je souhaiterais réagir sur Global Transfer Market 2011 Me gustaría enviar mi opinión sobre el Global Transfer Market 2011 Ich würde gerne Feedback zum Bericht Global Transfer Market 2011 geben

Name / Nom / Nombre / Name: Organisation / Organisation / Organización / Organisation: Address / Adresse / Dirección / Adresse: FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH

Email :

Zollikerstrasse 226 8008 Zurich Switzerland Tel.: +41-(0)43-222 5400 Fax: +41-(0)43-222 5401

globaltransfermarket@fifatms.com

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GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

3

FOREWORD Welcome to Global Transfer Market 2011, the first FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) annual review of the international transfer market.

As you may know, in 2007 the 57th FIFA Congress voted

commentary on the professional international transfer

to create an online system for international professional

market.

football transfers as one of the recommendations of the FIFA Task Force “For the Good of the Game”. The objective

With all 208 FIFA member associations and over 5,000

of the Congress decision was to increase integrity and

football clubs currently using the system, we are confident

transparency in the transfer market, notably by ensuring

that the information contained in these pages will provide

that football authorities have more data available to them

unique insight into the global football market, and have a

on each and every transfer transaction. The system is also

great impact on our understanding of the game in all its

used to enforce FIFA’s rules on the protection of minors in

diversity.

transfers.

This could not have been achieved without the full Since the programme’s inception on 1 January 2008,

participation of all member associations and clubs, and we

national football associations and professional football clubs

would like to thank them for their continued support of the

worldwide have been trained to use the system to conduct

programme.

international transfers. In September 2009, the first ever electronic international transfer certificate was generated

I hope you will enjoy this inaugural edition of Global Transfer

through TMS, allowing player Jean-Joel Perrier to transfer

Market. If you have any feedback or suggestions please use

from Scottish side Celtic to Toulouse in France.1 Finally,

the contact details at the back of the report to get in touch

after a one-year transition period, the use of TMS became

with us.

mandatory for all international transfers of professional male footballers on 1 October 2010.

As a result, and now that the first full calendar year of operations has drawn to a close, we are extremely pleased to be able to present, for the first time, information and Mark Goddard 1

“Transfers to receive transparency,” 26 February 2010, www.fifa.com

General Manager FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH

4

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

5

INTRODUCTION What is TMS?

not cover domestic transfers, nor does it include players

The transfer matching system (TMS) is an online application

registered as amateurs. The only exception is the data on

used by football clubs and national associations worldwide

minors, which also includes amateurs and female players.2

to transfer professional players internationally. The system

This edition of Global Transfer Market covers completed

works by matching data provided by the transferring clubs,

transfers entered in TMS between 1 January and 31

such as the player’s identification and employment details,

December 2011. A completed transfer is one for which an

agreed transfer fees and agent involvement. Based on

ITC has been received by the national association to which

this information, national associations use the system to

the player is transferring. The term “transfer” refers to the

request and deliver international transfer certificates (ITCs)

movement of a player’s registration from one association to

electronically. The ITC will allow the association to which

another and includes out-of-contract players being engaged

the player is transferring to register him, so that he can

by clubs in a new association, and agreements between

participate in official matches for his new club.

clubs to transfer the player’s registration either permanently or temporarily (loans).3 All amounts are expressed in US

What information will I find here?

dollars.

The information contained in Global Transfer Market 2011 is exclusively based on individual transaction data provided

What’s next?

directly by professional football clubs in TMS. It has been

Thanks to TMS, football authorities have access for the

aggregated and anonymised in accordance with our

first time to global, directly reported data on the transfer

applicable data protection policies.

market. Global Transfer Market 2011 presents aggregated

The transfer market data concerns only

information from the first year of mandatory use of the

international transfers of professional male

system. As additional information is entered in the system

football players within the scope of

and we continue to work to enhance the integrity and

11-a-side football. The data does

usability of the data, future editions will be able to provide unparalleled insight into the evolution of the global market for international football.

2 3

“Football and transfers are deeply affected by globalisation, and the use of new technologies allows clubs to respond to the demands of international business” – ASEC Mimosas, Côte d’Ivoire

Under FIFA rules, a minor is a player under the age of 18.

Loan extension agreements and agreements to transfer a player permanently at the end of a loan are also entered in the system, but are not counted as a “transfer” for the purposes of this report as there is no player movement.

6

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

7

THE 2011 INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER MARKET Four things you may not have known about transfers

8% Return from loan

Every year, transfers populate the front pages of the sports media around the world. The movements of globally

12%

recognised players triggering the payment of millions in

Engage player on loan

transfer fees are diligently tracked and analysed. But these transfers constitute only a small piece of the puzzle – the reality of the market is very different.

1. There is a transfer being concluded every 45 minutes

10% Engage player

The size of the international transfer market is much greater than the few dozen or even the few hundred transfers

70% Engage out of contract

that may attract the attention of journalists. Between 1 January and 31 December 2011, over 11,500 international transfers of professional footballers were recorded in

Figure 2: Transfers by type

TMS.4 That is an average of 31 transfers a day, if transfers were distributed evenly across the year. But as we can a transfer being concluded somewhere on the planet on

2. Most players are transferred when no longer under contract

any given day, transfers are highly concentrated during the

The second insight we can draw from the data relates to the

see in Figure 1, this is not the case. While there is always

Transfers

months of January, July and August. Those three months

type of transfers being processed in TMS. When most people

3,000

alone account for over 60% of all transfers conducted in

think of transfers they think of an agreement between two

2,500

2011. This is explained by the fact that the highest number

clubs. Yet 70% of the transfer activity in TMS concerns an

of associations have open registration periods (so-called

out-of-contract player signing with a new club as a free

“transfer windows”) at this time (see “What is a registration

agent (Figure 2). In over half of these cases, the player’s

period?” below). On 31 August, the busiest transfer day of

last professional contract had expired. The remaining cases

the year, 317 transfers were closed in a mere 24 hours.

concern players whose contract was terminated early

2,000 1,500 1,000

(30% of free agent signings) or players previously registered as amateurs (15%).

500 Figure 1: Monthly transfer activity in 2011

When there is an agreement between clubs for the transfer

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An additional 165 loan extensions or loan-to-permanent agreements were conducted through TMS over the same period.

of a player, two-thirds of the time the transaction is a loan (either outgoing or returning). This means that only 10%

8

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

1,400

9

12% Outgoing

Incoming

1,200 8%

1,000

7%

800

6%

6%

600 400 200 Figure 3: Transfer activity: top five associations

0 Association 1

Association 2

Association 3

Association 4

Association 5

of all transfers constitute a club-to-club agreement for

related to their transfers. An individual transfer can involve

the permanent move of a player, i.e. approximately 1,100

one of four different types of payments:

transactions in 2011.

• Agreed transfer compensation: the fixed sum agreed between two clubs for the transfer of a player (as in,

3. The transfer market is dominated by a handful of associations While there are 208 FIFA member associations, all using

“Player is transferred from Club A to Club B for USD 1 million”); • Conditional transfer compensation: a variable amount that

TMS, only a few associations are responsible for the majority

the player’s new club may end up owing to the former

of the transfer activity. Fifty per cent of all incoming transfers

club, generally dependent on the player’s performance

(players coming into a particular association) are spread

during his tenure with the new club (as in, “If Player

between only 24 associations, and the top five associations

makes more than 40 appearances for Club B, Club B will

by volume of incoming transfers cover by themselves 18%

pay Club A an additional USD 250,000”);

of the overall activity.

“In 2011, over USD 3 billion in financial compensation was declared in TMS by transferring clubs.”

• Training compensation and solidarity contribution: both

Figure 3 shows the top five associations by volume of total

are intended to offset the cost of training a young player,

transfers, that is, players coming in and players leaving

but:

the association.5 We can see that one single association is

– Training compensation is calculated based on indicative

very much the market leader in the transfer of professional

training costs and paid by the player’s new club to his

footballers, with more than 1,350 individual transactions

former club; while

per year, representing 12% of all international transfers

p 1% Solidarity contribution

– Solidarity contribution is calculated as a percentage

worldwide.

of the agreed transfer compensation amount and is

7%

distributed between all the clubs that trained the player

4. International transfers involve big money … sometimes

In 2011, over USD 3 billion in financial compensation was

As one of the means of improving transparency in the

declared in TMS by transferring clubs.6 Eighty-two per cent

market, TMS requires clubs to input all financial information 6 5

The five associations are not named, in application of current data protection policies.

Training compensation

up to the age of 23

Exchange rates taken on the day the transfer was completed. An additional USD 100 million was reflected in TMS in relation to loan extensions and loan-to-permanent agreements.

82% Agreed transfer compensation

Figure 4: Financial compensation in international transfers

10% Total: USD 3 billion

Conditional transfer compensation

10

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

11

of this amount constitutes agreed transfer compensation.

internationally are aged between 22 and 27 at the time

Taking a closer look at the agreed transfer compensation

of their transfer, and over 75% are 27 or under (Figure 5).

figures over the year, we find that the average amount

Players do continue to be transferred internationally to play

of agreed transfer compensation is over USD 1.5 million,

professional football well into their thirties, but the numbers

while the median is only USD 200,000, which means that

taper off significantly over 35. The oldest player transferred

a few transfers with very high dollar amounts are skewing

internationally in 2011 was born in 1965, and therefore

the average – most transfer fees are actually relatively low.

aged 46 at the time of his transfer.

Moreover, financial compensation of any kind is only at

On the other side of the scale, very young players are

issue in less than 14% of transfers. In the remaining 86%

also transferred internationally as professional footballers,

of cases, the transfer is conducted without any money

although most minors retain amateur status until they

changing hands.

reach 18 (see “Lifting the veil on the movement of minors”

7

below). Professional players under the age of 18 were the

Introducing the professional player

object of only 1% of international transfers in 2011.

Transfers in TMS concern only professional male footballers.

Clubs must provide details about these players when

Brazilian players are the most sought-after

conducting transfers internationally through the system,

International transfers of professional players are heavily

allowing us to paint a picture of the typical professional

skewed to a few dominant nationalities, with Brazilians and

player. So who is he? According to the data, the typical

Argentinians together making up 20% of transfers this year

professional footballer is 23, Brazilian, and not paid as much

(Figure 6). Brazilian nationals alone account for 13% of

as you would expect.

transfers in 2011, or more than 1,500 individual transactions.

These include transfers of Brazilian nationals into and out of

Players peak at 23

Brazil as well as between foreign associations.

It does not come as much of a surprise that most

Two other South American countries are represented in

international transfers concern players in their early to

the top ten nationalities, namely Uruguay and Colombia.

mid-twenties. Over 50% of professional players transferred

The most transferred European nationals are from France, Serbia, England, Spain and Portugal, while Nigerians are the

7

The median represents the numerical value separating the upper half from the lower half of a sample.

most represented from the African continent with 3% of international transfers.

Transfers 1,200 1,000 800 600

“On 31 August, the busiest transfer day of the year, 317 transfers were closed in a mere 24 hours.”

400 Figure 5: Age distribution of players in international transfers

200 0 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Player age

12

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

Transfers 1,600

13%

1,400 1,200 1,000 7%

800 600

3%

400

3%

3%

3%

3% 2%

2%

2%

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by the very high median salaries there – indeed the Asian

compensation for a player transferring there amounts to

association sampled had the highest median salary overall,

50% of his fixed salary.10

at USD 240,000.

In another association, located in South America, the effect

This is not the whole story, however. Football salaries

of the variable component on a player’s total salary is much

also typically contain a variable component based on

less significant. Here, conditional compensation is calculated

the performance of either the player or the club, or a

exclusively based on club performance (points won per

combination of the two. Contracts reviewed include

match and qualification in national and international

incentive schemes based on criteria such as:

tournaments) and the likely increase in salary through the

• Number of appearances by the player during the season;

incentive scheme is typically below 10%.

• Points earned during a match in which the player

Finally, it is worth noting that while average and median football salaries are lower across the board than what sports

appeared; • Club position in the league table;

fans might expect, a comparison with GDP per capita11 still

• Club qualification for competition or promotion to higher

shows that footballers generally enjoy a higher standard of living than most (particularly in Western Europe and Asia)

division.

(Figure 8).

Just as with fixed salaries, all associations are not created equal with respect to conditional compensation. In one of

Player nationality

the Western European associations sampled, the average Figure 6: Top ten represented nationalities in international transfers

10

Determined using simple assumptions regarding average player and club performance.

11 International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database 2011, figures for 2011 in USD.

player could potentially make up to four times his salary in conditional compensation, and average conditional

The myth of the millionaire player debunked

Salaries also diverge significantly across associations.

Any player who has a written contract with his club

Figure 7 shows the average and median salaries in the

and earns more than it costs for him to play football is

ten associations reviewed, as well as the deviation from

considered a professional football player by FIFA. Thousands

the global average and median salary. All three Western

of such players are transferred from one association to

European associations in the sample have averages above

another through TMS, and yet practise their profession far

the global average. But the difference even within Western

away from the glitz and glamour that fans usually associate

Europe is great. “Western European association 1” has by

with international professional football.

far the highest average salary at USD 675,000, but also the

Based on a sample of players8 transferring into ten different

lowest median salary in the region, indicating that the range

associations in different parts of the world, we estimate that

of salaries in this association is extremely wide and that the

the average annual fixed salary for a professional football

distribution of salaries is significantly skewed. A few players

player is around USD 244,000. This average, however, is

earn very large sums of money while half of the players

heavily skewed upwards by a small number of extremely

earn an annual fixed salary of less than USD 83,000. By

high salaries. Most footballers make significantly less than

comparison, salaries in “Western European association 2” are

this average figure, as demonstrated by the fact that the

somewhat more evenly distributed, with a high median salary

median salary is a mere USD 43,000. This means that half

of USD 196,000. Meanwhile, average salaries in “Western

of the professional footballers in the sample earn more

European association 3” are significantly lower than in the

than USD 43,000 a year and half of them earn less. Global

other two, at barely above USD 325,000 (less than half of

salaries are therefore not distributed evenly but concentrated

the average salary in “Western European association 1”).

at the lower end of the scale with a significant range from

Analysis suggests that this may be at least partly explained by

the low four digits to multi-million dollar amounts.

the origin of the players transferring into this association.

9

USD

700,000 Average salary Median salary

600,000 500,000 400,000

Global average USD 244,000

300,000 200,000 Global median USD 43,000 100,000

0

Sample size n=60 per association, except the African association where less data was available and therefore n=36.

9 All amounts are provided in USD, based on the annual average exchange rate.

football in emerging markets such as Asia is also supported

n

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of players from South America, where median salaries are among the lowest in the world. The growth of professional

1

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The data also goes some way to explaining the attractiveness 8

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Figure 7: Average and median football salaries

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14

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

USD

Median commission USD 80,000

700,000 Average salary Median salary GDP per capita

600,000

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Average commission USD 240,000

200,000

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Agents reap the benefits of international transfers

contractual stability between professional players and clubs.

Clubs are required to enter information relating to agents

It is up to each national football association to set its own

when processing an international transfer through TMS.

registration periods, but they must meet certain criteria:

They should declare the involvement of agents assisting

• There can only be two registration periods per year;

them in relation to the transfer, as well as the name of

• One of the registration periods must fall between two

agents must also be disclosed in the system, but not those commissions paid by players to their own representatives.

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Figure 9: Distribution of club agent commissions in international transfers

Figure 8: Football salaries compared to GDP per capita

any agent assisting the player. Commissions paid to club

0

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10

seasons and cannot be longer than 12 weeks;

60 OFC CONMEBOL

50

AFC

• The other will occur during the season (usually in the middle) and lasts up to four weeks.

In 2011, clubs disclosed a total of USD 130 million in club

There is no rule that requires football associations to set

agent commissions. Figure 9 illustrates the distribution

matching registration periods, and we notice that there

of those commissions in 2011. The average club agent

are indeed differences across the globe. On any given day

commission is around USD 240,000 (compared to an

of the year, a national association somewhere in the world

average transfer value of USD 1.5 million), while the median

will have on open registration period. However, there is a

commission comes in at around USD 80,000 (compared to a

tendency towards harmonisation, particularly within the

median transfer value of USD 200,000).

same confederation. Naturally, the more open transfer windows there are during an association’s registration

What is a registration period?

period, the more business opportunities will be available to

According to FIFA’s rules, players can only be transferred

that association’s clubs.

during one of two annual registration periods (commonly

Figure 10 shows the number of associations with an open

referred to as “transfer windows”). This rule exists in order to

registration period during each month of the year. The

guarantee the sporting integrity of national and international

alignment of periods around January and July/August

competitions between clubs, which may only modify their

is evident, driven by UEFA with its 53 associations but

squads at two specific times of the year. The rule also increases

extending beyond to other confederations.

CONCACAF

40

CAF UEFA

30

20

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Figure 10: Open registration periods by confederation

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16

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

17

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF MINORS IN TRANSFERS While TMS is known mostly for its impact on international

The four exceptions to the rule are:

professional transfers, since October 2009 it also plays a key

• The minor’s parents are moving to another country for a

role in protecting the rights of players under 18, both boys and girls, amateurs and professionals. The key, underlying

reason not linked to football; • The transfer is within the European Union (EU) or the

belief is that increased transparency and access to data on

European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is over 16

the movement of young players will mean greater protection

(and certain stringent conditions are met, such as the level

for those that need it most.

of academic and football training);

Tackling old problems for young players Typically, the mention of transfer of minors evokes one of two images: either the horror story of the exploited child,

400 350

or the success story of the young prodigy. Most cases, of course, fall in neither category. But in all instances it is clear

300

that players under the age of 18 are a vulnerable population that needs to be protected. FIFA’s role is to manage the

250

careful balance between preserving a child’s chances of having a successful footballing career and safeguarding the interests of the overwhelming majority that will never achieve that dream.

This is why FIFA’s regulations generally prohibit the

200 150 100

international transfer of minors, or the first registration of foreign minors in an association. The purpose behind this

50

rule is to keep children at home, playing with their original training clubs until they turn 18 and are old enough to make decisions about their future. However, exceptions to this rule are necessary to ensure that promising youngsters do not miss out on opportunities.

0 12

13

14

15

16

17

Player age

Figure 11: Age distribution of minor players in transfers

18

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

19

800 Professional Amateur

700

“In 2011, over 13,000 international transfers or first registrations of foreign minors were reported or requested by associations around the world.”

600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Common border

Parents‘ move

EU/EEA

5 years‘ residence

Figure 12: Requested exceptions for minor transfers

• The minor’s home and the club are both within 50km of a common border; or

are from the European continent (the exception being,

transfers is, in general, very much focused around the

unsurprisingly, the ever-popular Brazilians) (Figure 13).

European continent. As we saw above, 90% of reported

FIFA has been working for many years to ensure that children

minor transfers are covered by the exemption applicable to

all over the world receive adequate protection and equal

22 associations, most of which are European. Moreover, if

opportunities, and progress continues to be made in that

we look at the top ten most represented nationalities among

area. Access to information through TMS constitutes a vital

the 1,500 individual applications, we see that nine of them

part of this process.

Lifting the veil on the movement of minors In 2011, over 13,000 international transfers or first

• The foreign minor has been living for at least five years in

registrations of foreign minors were reported or requested

the country where he wishes to be registered for the first

by associations around the world. Almost 90% of these

time.

were covered by the limited exemptions, while around 1,500

Since October 2009, the application of these exceptions has

individual applications were submitted to FIFA. Only 1% of

been controlled by FIFA through TMS, in one of two ways.

all the minors considered were professionals (just under 11%

First, through individual requests for an exception, processed

of the individual applications).

in TMS and decided on a case-by-case basis by a specialised

Focusing now on the individual applications, we can see that

committee. Second, for 22 associations (mostly located

although applications can be made for children from the age

in Europe) through a limited exemption that applies only

of 12, 45% of the applications concern players aged 16 or

to amateur players joining strictly amateur clubs and that

17 (Figure 11).

requires all registrations to be reported in TMS at regular

The most popular reason supporting applications for minor

intervals. In this way, TMS ensures that young players

transfers is that the child is following his or her parents who

worldwide receive equal protection.

have moved to a new country for reasons other than their

12

In fact, the data seems to show that the issue of minor

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20

child’s potential football career (Figure 12). When it comes to those players under 18 who are professionals, however, the vast majority are relying on the rule allowing players over 16 to move within the EU or EEA. This would tend to indicate 12

These 22 associations have submitted a specific request to benefit from the limited exemption. The exemption applies for a fixed time period only but can be renewed.

that the phenomenon of the young superstar is very much a European story.

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Figure 13: Top ten represented nationalities in minor transfers

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20

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

COMPANY ACTIVITIES

21

Information workshops for national associations were held around the world between March and May 2011 in order to revisit the main TMS functionalities and educate users on their regulatory obligations, but mostly to allow association users of TMS to share their experiences with each other and with the team. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive, and the workshops had a visible impact on user performance in the system. Similar courses will be organised in the future to capitalise on these results and address the needs of TMS stakeholders.

Integrity & Compliance TMS is operated by a subsidiary of FIFA set up in 2008, FIFA

and their clubs prior to the 1 October 2010 milestone, and

At the end of 2011, the Integrity & Compliance department

Transfer Matching System GmbH. The company is responsible

offers a dedicated helpdesk service for all users. Service

of FIFA TMS GmbH celebrated the first full year of

for developing and maintaining the online application,

Level Guidelines issued this year demonstrate the team’s

enforcement of the TMS system. This team of lawyers and

and ensuring that all FIFA member associations and their

commitment to offering a timely and efficient service to all

investigators was set up in October 2010 to ensure that

professional clubs receive the proper training and support to

associations and clubs.

transfers are properly conducted through TMS and to prevent

conduct their transfers through the system. The company is

In 2011, 6,650 requests were received by the Client Services

the system from being used in contravention of the principles

also in charge of monitoring and enforcing the use of TMS in

Helpdesk, with peaks of activity around January and

of integrity and transparency that TMS seeks to promote.

accordance with FIFA’s regulations. The three departments of

July/August. Ninety-five per cent of these requests were

The Integrity & Compliance department provides education

FIFA TMS GmbH work closely with all football stakeholders to

answered within the time specified by the Service Level

and advice to clubs and national associations on how to

guarantee a transparent and efficient transfer market.

Guidelines. In 2012, the team expects to be able to further

comply with their regulatory obligations with respect to

improve on this achievement.

international transfers. The department also relies on its

Client Services

The Client Services team also works to support the

broad investigation powers to monitor, correct and sanction

A dynamic group of international and multilingual

development of the TMS user community and foster

non-compliant behaviour by clubs and associations. At all

individuals, the Client Services team supports and educates

communication and experience sharing among stakeholders

times, the team works in an integrated manner with FIFA

TMS users worldwide on all transfer-related matters. The

by organising regular refresher and information courses on

departments as well as external parties to ensure that the

team was responsible for training member associations

TMS.

international transfer market operates smoothly and fairly.

Requests

“TMS allows clubs and associations to transfer players quickly while guaranteeing transparency” – KNVB

Transfer activity

1,200 1,000 800 600

Helpdesk activity

400 200 0 y

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ua

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ar

M

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Ap

Figure 14: Helpdesk monthly activity in 2011

ay

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Ju

ly

Ju

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22

GLOBAL TRANSFER MARKET 2011

Several compliance initiatives adopted this year have already

The redesign project is intended to achieve three key objectives:

yielded very positive results. It is worth highlighting the

• To improve usability. A recurrent theme in the feedback

team’s participation in workshops to improve associations’

received from associations and clubs that use TMS is the

understanding of FIFA regulations (see “Client Services”

usability of the system. Since the average football club

above), as well as the introduction of a new, streamlined

only uses TMS occasionally, the redesign aims to improve

sanction procedure to quickly and efficiently deal with minor

user-friendliness so that all clubs find the system intuitive

infringements that may have a major negative impact on

and easy to interact with.

• To enhance security features. In 2011 alone, the details of

transfers.

The work of the team directly benefits all actors in the

over 11,500 transfers were entered into the system, each

international transfer market, notably by ensuring that

supported by confidential documents. TMS is hosted by

better, more reliable information is available to all parties

a leading infrastructure provider whose ISO certification

and to the wider public. From a club perspective, the ability

ensures that the necessary processes are in place to

to rely on accurate information and the comfort of knowing

protect all of this sensitive information. The company is

that transfer market regulations are systematically and

very conscious of its users’ need for privacy and as part of

equitably enforced are important factors in increasing trust

the redesign project steps are being taken to guarantee

and transaction efficiency across the board.

that the system itself keeps pace with the evolving threats

The international transfer market is highly dynamic and

to online applications.

volatile, and constantly raises new legal challenges.

• To migrate to state-of-the-art technology. As well as

Throughout 2012 and beyond, the Integrity & Compliance

addressing security issues, the latest technologies provide

department will continue its efforts to deliver transparency

a broader range of tools to make TMS more responsive

to the market through broader, more in-depth investigations

and engaging.

As part of the project, FIFA TMS GmbH welcomed a focus

and improved education initiatives.

group of seven clubs and six national football associations to

Application Management

Zurich in May for a formal feedback session. The feedback

The focus of the Application Management team during

received has proved to be extremely useful in shaping the

2011 was on the redesign of TMS. It has been over four

way the new system will look.

years since the original system was developed and now

The first functionalities of the new system will be released

that global implementation is complete, there is at last

in April 2012, and all associations and clubs will have

time to step back and take stock of what has been built.

transitioned to the redesigned TMS by 1 November 2012.

1 November 5 March

Training begins

2 April

New system goes live for clubs

4 June

All clubs are using the new system

Figure 15: 2012 timeline for redesigned system

1 October

New system goes live for associations

All users are on the new system

Publisher: FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH Zollikerstrasse 226 8008 Zurich, Switzerland globaltransfermarket@fifatms.com General Manager: Mark Goddard Editor: Isabelle Solal Contributors: Jose Luis Andrade, Ana Isabel Belzunce, Zora Born, Laura Dijak, Alexandre Gros, Sonia Gusella, James Holroyd, Nadia Masella, Hélène Valat Graphics: Jonas Kämpe Photos: Getty Images Layout and production: Serge Born, Hans-Peter Frei, Stephan Scholz, Linda Schwartz Translation: FIFA Translations Printing: Vogt-Schild Druck AG, Switzerland Contact: To provide feedback or to order additional copies of Global Transfer Market 2011, please use the postcard provided or contact: FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH Zollikerstrasse 226 8008 Zurich, Switzerland globaltransfermarket@fifatms.com An electronic version of Global Transfer Market 2011 is also available at www.fifatms.com.

Global Transfer Market 2011, including all images, trademarks and text therein is exclusively owned by FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH, except as otherwise provided.

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Any views expressed in Global Transfer Market 2011 do not necessarily reflect those of FIFA Transfer Matching System GmbH or FIFA. © 2012 FIFA TMS. All Rights Reserved.