Underage Football Players in Brazil: Legal Certainty in the Representation of Minors under FIFA and National Regulations

This article analyses the legal uncertainty surrounding the representation of underage football players in Brazil under FIFA and national regulations. It examines the impact of the partial suspension of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations, the suspension of CBF’s 2023 National Football Agent Regulations, and the reinstatement of the 2022 National Intermediaries Regulations. The article highlights the tension between the Pelé Law, which prohibits representation agreements involving players under 18, and the General Sports Law, which refers to compliance with FIFA and CBF rules.

This article also discusses practical risks around agent remuneration, representation agreements, inducements, image-rights structures and the legal exposure faced by agents working with Brazilian minors. The central conclusion is that, until FIFA’s agent framework and Brazilian regulations are clarified, the representation and remuneration of agents working with underage Brazilian players will remain legally vulnerable and subject to significant uncertainty.