On June 4, 2026, candidates who participated in the FIFA football agent exam at the end of April learned whether they passed. The test is short and unforgiving. Twenty multiple choice questions, 60 minutes, passing score 75 percent. From 2025, FIFA will hold it once a year. This is the first thing to understand for a young Nigerian player looking for representation. A genuine agent is a person licensed by FIFA and FIFA maintains this list.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Who licenses the agents? | FIFA, through the Agent Platform |
| Rules in force since then | Registration opened on January 9, 2023; licensed agents only from October 1, 2023 |
| Exam | Once a year, 75 percent of 20 questions will pass in 60 minutes |
| Where to check a name | Online directory of FIFA licensed football agents |
| Payment limit | It has been suspended worldwide by FIFA from 30 December 2023 |
| Minors | Additional permission is required for the agent to function |
Why did we remove the old list?
This page carried a long list of names, phone numbers and addresses presented as FIFA licensed agents in Nigeria. It is until 2021 before FIFA rebuilds the system. We could not verify those records. Some of the people there may no longer work as agents. Publishing private phone numbers that no one can verify doesn’t help anyone.
So the list went.
Its replacement is better. FIFA’s official pages link to the public directory of every agent it licenses. The wording is simple: it gives access to “all Football Agents licensed by FIFA”. Before signing anything, search by name and walk away if the person approaching you isn’t there.
How to check the agent before signing
Most of the damage in Nigerian football is done before a contract is signed, at the stage where a player or parent is asked to trust someone they meet in court or on social media. It takes a few minutes to check.
- Ask for the agent’s full name and find it in the FIFA directory.
- Get the agency agreement in writing and read who pays the agent.
- Get independent advice from a solicitor or players union before signing.
- Be wary of anyone asking for money to organize a trial abroad.
- If the player is under 18, expect additional paperwork; a real agent will know that.
None of this is complicated. It’s just rarely done.
The players’ unions have been outspoken about the scale of the problem. Zimbabwean midfielder Marshall Munetsi spoke for FIFPRO’s Global Players Council: “We can no longer talk about a problem; I would like to call it a crisis.” He added that the players should take their responsibility.
It’s not official, the player was talking.
What FIFA has changed and what is still waiting
FIFA’s Football Agent Regulations came into force on January 9, 2023, after the opening of registration on the new Agent Platform. From 1 October 2023, players, coaches and clubs had to use only licensed agents. Licensing, examination and regulations protecting minors are the most important parts for a player in Lagos or Enugu.
Monetary regulations have had a harder time.
FIFA wanted to limit what agents could earn. The plan was up to 10 percent of the transfer fee for an agent acting for a sales club. Based on a player’s salary, the cap was 3 percent above and 5 percent below $200,000 a year. Courts in Germany and Spain ruled, an FA tribunal in London ruled against the cap in England, and on 30 December 2023 FIFA suspended the fee cap and a number of payment rules worldwide while the European Court of Justice heard the case.
In May 2025, the Solicitor General in that court issued a non-binding opinion. According to him, such rules can be justified, but FIFA must prove that they are proportionate. We have not been able to confirm whether a final decision has been made, so consider the cap suspended until FIFA says otherwise.
Our vision
A license is not a guarantee of integrity. This is the minimum.
Shina Philips, a licensed FIFA agent in Nigeria, called on the NFF to expose their colleagues who rely on national team coaches, telling The Guardian that “any agent caught bribing coaches should be publicly exposed and arrested”.
The safest route for families is usually through a structured academy, not a stranger with a WhatsApp number. Our guides to soccer academies in Lagos and soccer academies in Abuja list the ones you can check out. Same rule there. Check first, then sign.
This article was last revised and updated 27 seconds ago