Ghana FA approves Application Fees for Intermediaries

The Ghana Football Association has approved the Application Fee for the registration of Intermediaries in Ghana after the coming into force of the FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries on 1st April, 2015.

The Application Fee for the initial year is Three Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc3,000) plus taxes with an annual Renewal Fee of Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc2,000) plus taxes.

As part of the Application Process, individual applicants will complete the Application Form, Intermediary declaration and attach a Police Clearance Report as a test of Good Character and Reputation.

In addition to the requirement for individual registration, a company seeking to become an Intermediary shall submit Police Clearance Report of the shareholders, the board members and the management members of the company.

The football public is therefore informed that every official as defined by Point 11 of the Definitions Section of the FIFA Statutes are prohibited from being becoming an Intermediary.

Point 11 of the Definitions Section of the FIFA Statutes defines official as “every board member, committee member, referee and assistant referee, coach, trainer and any other person responsible for technical, medical and administrative matters in FIFA, a Confederation, Association, League or Club as well as all other persons obliged to comply with the FIFA Statutes”.

The FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries which was approved by the FIFA Executive Committee on 21 March 2014 and ratified by the FIFA Congress on 11 June 2014 comes into force today, Wednesday, April 1, 2015.

The Regulations have superseded the Players' Agents Regulations last amended on October 29, 2007 and all existing licences have lost its validity with immediate effect.

GFA held a seminar on Monday, March 30, 2015 at the GFA Secretariat to explain the Regulations to the Premier League and Division One League Clubs and other stakeholders.

The GFA indicated that it will organise similar seminars at the ten Regional Football Associations (RFAs) for all second division clubs, lower leagues clubs and all other stakeholders in football.

The new FIFA Regulations is aimed at associations in relation to the engagement of the services of an Intermediary by players and clubs to conclude an employment contract between a player and a club, or conclude a transfer agreement between two clubs.

In effect the new FIFA law affects both renewal of a player's contract with a Ghanaian club and also the transfer of a player from a Ghanaian club to another club within or outside Ghana.

The GFA has the right to draft and approve its own regulation called the GFA Regulation on Working with Intermediaries in accordance with Article 1(3) of the FIFA Regulation which grants Associations the right to go beyond the minimum standard and requirements.

The FIFA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries which has 11 Articles and two annexes in all defines an Intermediaries as “a natural or legal person who, for a fee or free of charge, represents players and/or clubs in negotiations with a view to concluding an employment contract or represents clubs in negotiations with a view to concluding a transfer agreement”.

The 11 Articles of the Regulations are:
1. Scope
2. General Principles
3. Registration of Intermediaries
4. Requisites for Registration
5. Representation Contract
6. Disclosure and Publication
7. Payments to Intermediaries
8. Conflicts of Interest
9. Sanctions
10. Enforcement of Associations' Obligations
11. Transitional Measures
Annexe 1: Intermediary Declaration for natural persons

Annexe 2: Intermediary Declaration by a legal person