24/04/2023–30/04/2023

Nearly half fail the new FIFA test to get a player agent license.

Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola, Jonathan Barnett

• On April 19th, 3,800 people took the newly updated football agent exam, but unfortunately, 48% of them failed. This equates to 1,824 people who will need to retake the exam on September 20th, 2023. However, time is not on their side, as unlicensed agents will no longer be able to work in transfer and contract negotiations starting on October 1st, 2023.
• Currently, there are around 2,000 licensed agents in the UK who have not had to take the exam due to FIFA’s “legacy” agreement. The question is why has FIFA decided to create this new setup ?
• The reason behind FIFA’s decision to create this new setup is to improve the standards of the football agent profession and raise its ethical standards. The exam aims to address the growing trend of family members representing their kids and promote more transparency in the transfer market.
• Additionally, FIFA aims to reduce the excessive monetary benefits gained by agents who prioritize their own financial gain over their clients’ interests. For example, Mino Raiola, Paul Pogba’s former representative, was paid £24m for the transfer of Pogba to Manchester United. The Football Association recently reported that Premier League clubs spent £320m on agents’ fees in the past year, up from £272.6m the previous year.
• FIFA’s new setup for football agents aims to ensure that only qualified and competent agents are licensed to represent players in transfer and contract negotiations. By doing so, FIFA hopes to improve the image of the profession and enhance the overall integrity of the transfer market.
• Below are examples of the type of questions you would expect to see in the exam.

Answer for Q1:b (12–23), Q2:For this question there are two correct answers; a(an agent or agency) & b (investment fund)

Newcastle announce HUGE new shirt sponsorship deal

Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson

• As we wrote about last week, Premier League clubs with betting companies as their headline shirt sponsors have agreed to remove them by 2026. However, the Magpies have decided to terminate their shirt sponsorship deal two years early. In October, reports surfaced that the club was seeking more revenue as their current deal with the betting company sponsor was only worth around £6.5m a season.
• It is expected that Newcastle will announce a new sponsor next month, who will pay £25m a season for the privilege of having their logo on the front of the team’s famous black and white shirts. The Times reported that the new sponsor is a Middle Eastern company, but not one from Saudi Arabia, where Newcastle’s owners, PIF (Saudi Public Investment Fund), are based. This move is a step in the right direction for a club that was struggling under the ownership of Mike Ashley.

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD LAUNCHES ‘THE AFTER ACADEMY’

Trent Alexander-Arnold playing for Liverpool.

• Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Liverpool football player who has achieved immense success in his career, including winning titles and representing his country, is well aware of the struggles that many young players face when their dreams of becoming a professional footballer do not come to fruition. He has witnessed the devastating effects of being released by a club as a teenager and has launched a new initiative called “The After Academy” to provide career opportunities for young players who don’t make it to the top.
• In collaboration with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the initiative will work with companies to offer job opportunities and support for those who have been released from academy programs. The statistics published alongside the launch of The After Academy reveal the harsh reality of the challenges facing young players; only one in six players offered a scholarship at age 16 are still playing professional football at 21, and more than 99% of those who join an academy at age nine will not make it as a professional.
• Alexander-Arnold will fund the project personally for the next five years, but he believes that more needs to be done to ensure that young players are not left feeling hopeless and lost when their dreams are shattered.
• The After Academy is an important step towards providing support and career opportunities for young players who are released, but there is still much work to be done to address the systemic issues that lead to so many talented players falling through the cracks.

La Liga: FC Barcelona continue cost-cutting with decision to close TV channel

Barca TV

• FC Barcelona has announced that its TV channel, Barca TV, will be closing down on June 30, bringing an end to the club’s TV network that has been operational since 1996. The decision, which was communicated to TBSC Telefonica, the company that manages the club’s television network, will affect around 150 people who worked on a permanent or freelance basis for the network.
• The decision reflects the club’s ongoing financial situation, as the TV channel costs approximately 10 million euros annually. However, the channel also provided prestige and worldwide exposure by broadcasting English language content.
• The club will now focus on broadcasting content through its social media channels as it tries to manage its finances under the pressure of UEFA Financial Fairplay rules. The savings from the transfer of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint Germain (PSG) have helped the club bring down expenses.