FIFA Transfer Regulations and UEFA Player Eligibility Rules: Major Changes in European Football and the Negative Effect on Minors

Behind the European love affair with football\u27the packed stadiums, the rowdy fans, the time off from work to watch important matches\u27lies a significant dilemma: on one hand, fans want their teams to play at the highest competitive level, but on the other, they care about the backgrounds and nationality of the players on their locally-based teams. This dilemma has led to the promulgation of various transfer regulations by the governing bodies of international football that control a player\u27s ability to transfer to a foreign team. The changing of these transfer regulations over time, however, has had a negative impact on many minors who play football. In particular, European football clubs have exploited various loopholes in the transfer regulations to recruit young foreign players and retain young local players. This Comment looks at the evolution of the regulations governing player mobility and its impact on minors