The Football Regulatory Podcast

The Football Regulatory Podcast Ep. 3

⚖️ Episode 3 — Agents, Unlicensed Practice & Conflicts of Interest: The CONCACAF Realities In this episode, we examine one of the most critical fault lines in modern football governance — the regulation of player agents. Despite FIFA’s clear regulatory framework under the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR), unlicensed practice and conflicts of interest remain deeply entrenched across CONCACAF. These are not minor compliance lapses — they are structural risks that threaten contractual integrity, player protection, and the credibility of the transfer system itself. ⚖️ Key Discussion Points * The FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR): the global standard governing licensing, representation, and remuneration of agents, designed to safeguard transparency and professionalism. * The Football Tribunal’s Enforcement Role: how the Tribunal and its sub-chambers (Players’ Status, Agents, and Dispute Resolution) are reshaping global accountability through consistent jurisprudence and procedural uniformity. * Unlicensed Practice: the continuing presence of unregistered intermediaries and dual-role actors—club executives, coaches, or owners—performing representation functions in violation of FFAR Articles 5–9. * Conflicts of Interest: why overlapping roles within the same transaction undermine fiduciary duty, distort competition, and expose clubs and players to sanction. * The European Football Agents Association (EFAA): leading global compliance advocacy; Pitchside Sports Consulting remains the only firm across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean recognized on the EFAA Lawyers Network [https://www.eufootballagents.com/blogs/lawyers-network], underscoring our mandate to bridge this regulatory gap in the region. 🎯 Why This Matters In a global transfer market exceeding USD 9 billion annually, regulatory negligence is no longer sustainable. For CONCACAF to advance, agents, clubs, and federations must align with FIFA’s international standards and the Football Tribunal’s jurisprudence — the benchmarks that define lawful conduct in player representation. 📚 Recommended Reading * FIFA Football Agent Regulations (2023 Edition) * Football Tribunal Annual Report (2024) * CAS 2016/A/4490 Diarra v. FIFA * Football Legal Journal — “Agents & Accountability in the New Regulatory Era” 📍 Pitchside Sports Consulting (PSC)Headquartered in Canada and operating across North & Central America and the Caribbean. Delivering regulatory expertise, compliance solutions, and dispute advocacy before FIFA and CAS. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Football Regulatory Podcast Ep. 2

⚖️ Earlier this year, Pitchside Sports Consulting (PSC) published an in-depth article on the FIFA Football Tribunal (FFT)—its structure, scope, and the regulatory power it holds over global football. 💡 The positive feedback we received made one thing clear: there is strong demand in the CONCACAF region for a practical understanding of how the Tribunal operates. This demand echoes the recent testimonial from the BVI International Arbitration Centre (BVI IAC), reaffirming the importance of translating football law into practice through the creation of domestic and regional NDRCs. 🔎 In fact, PSC recently advised two professional footballers in contractual disputes with their club. Our intervention not only secured their release with just cause and facilitated transfers to their new clubs—it also set a first-of-its-kind precedent in CONCACAF, aligning with the trajectory of landmark CAS jurisprudence: Bosman, Matuzalem, Andy Webster, Diarra, and Seraing. 🎙️ Building on this momentum, Episode 2 of the Football Regulatory Podcast takes our written analysis further. We explore: * How the FFT processes disputes between players, clubs, and agents * What lessons can be drawn from case law and CAS precedents * Why this system matters now more than ever for football in the Americas 👉 Tune in, listen, and subscribe to the Football Regulatory Podcast.Your understanding of football law may be the difference between compliance and crisis. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Football Regulatory Podcast

Welcome to the Football Regulatory Podcast — the show where global football governance meets regional realities. Hosted by me — Andrew Marco Werners, a Canadian-Dutch Caribbean football lawyer and regulatory expert, this podcast unpacks the legal systems that shape the global game — and explains why the the northwestern hemisphere that is CONCACAF remains disconnected from football’s evolving regulatory frameworks. Whether you're a club executive, licensed agent, federation official, players' union rep, or aspiring football legal professional — this show delivers what’s been missing: practical, digestable, regionally relevant insight into how football law actually works. 📌 In this episode, you’ll learn: * 📉 Why CONCACAF Remains on the Sidelines of Global Football GovernanceDespite being home to 41 FIFA member associations, the region contributes less than 5% of football-related disputes — exposing a structural void in legal access, compliance, and institutional capacity. * Introduction to Football Regulatory — and Why We’re Missing OutFrom agent licensing and training compensation to dispute resolution before the FIFA Football Tribunal, this episode breaks down what every serious football stakeholder needs to know. * A New Platform for Access, Not GatekeepingBuilt by the only football regulatory consultancy in the Northwestern Hemisphere, this podcast translates elite legal knowledge into actionable strategy — empowering players, clubs, agents, unions, and administrators to engage with the global football economy. 🎧 Ready to stop guessing and start understanding football regulation?Subscribe to the Football Regulatory Podcast on Substack, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. And if you're part of a club, agency, league, federation, university, or law firm in the CONCACAF region — connect with Pitchside Sports Consulting [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pitchside-sports-consulting] to see where we can help your organization or institution optimize their value. Because the football economy is already moving. The only question is:Will we be a part of it — or be left behind? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefootballregulatorydatabase.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]