Every year young African players and their families lose money, and sometimes their safety, to fake agents promising trials at European clubs. These warning signs can protect you.
Warning signs of a scam
- You are asked to pay for a trial, a "registration fee", flights or a visa before any club has offered a contract.
- The "agent" cannot show a FIFA licence or refuses to put agreements in writing.
- The club name is vague, or the club's official website and social media do not mention the trial.
- You are pressured to travel quickly, alone, or on a tourist visa.
- Your passport is taken "for safekeeping" on arrival.
- Promises sound too good to be true: guaranteed contracts, huge salaries, top clubs.
How to check an agent
Since 1 October 2023, FIFA's Football Agent Regulations require agents who work on international transfers to hold a FIFA licence, obtained by passing an exam. FIFA publishes a public register of licensed agents on its legal portal: search for the agent's name before signing anything. You can also ask your national football association to confirm whether an agent or a "trial" is genuine.
How genuine moves work
- The interested club contacts the player's current club or a licensed agent, not the other way round with a fee.
- Trials are normally paid for by the club, with an official invitation letter that supports a proper visa.
- Any contract is registered through FIFA's Transfer Matching System for international moves.
- Players under 18 can generally not be transferred internationally; see FIFA rules on minors.
If something goes wrong
Contact your country's embassy, the local police and your national football association. Organisations that support stranded young players exist in several European countries, and FIFA has strengthened rules on the protection of minors because of these cases.
Better ways to get noticed
Play regularly in official competitions, join a reputable academy and perform in your domestic league; read how to become a professional footballer in Africa.