An agreement affecting the entire relationship
Signing a sports contract means more than agreeing an amount and a number of seasons. It establishes each party’s rights, payment due dates and how injury, transfers and termination are handled. Unclear wording may only become significant months later, when the player’s and club’s objectives change.
For a footballer, club or representative preparing negotiations, the first step is to review the full document set: offer, contract, annexes, internal rules and any image rights agreements. This article primarily concerns professional football; other sports have their own federation rules. Information is current as at 14 September 2026.
Sports activity contract or employment contract?
In Romania, a professional player’s relationship with a club may take the form of an employment contract or a sports activity contract. The distinction affects rights, administrative obligations and potential disputes. Article 12 of the FRF Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Football Players states that a sports activity contract does not confer employee status.
The term “salary” therefore does not automatically describe all an athlete’s income. The agreement must be read according to its nature and applicable mandatory rules. Its title, sports regulations and national law must be considered together, including when a player signs with a foreign club.
Remuneration and bonuses must be calculable
The financial offer should be reflected in terms allowing each payment to be verified. Specify currency, gross or net amounts, due dates, payment account and treatment of benefits such as accommodation or transport. Signing bonuses and deferred payments deserve the same attention as monthly remuneration.
An appearance, qualification or league-survival bonus needs clear conditions for payment. Who confirms achievement? Does taking the field count, or being named on the team sheet? What happens if the athlete leaves before season-end? These questions are easier to resolve before signing.
- Separate fixed payments from performance-related amounts.
- Identify the documents confirming that objectives have been achieved.
- Check any withholdings, deductions and post-termination payment clauses.
Sporting obligations, injury and image rights
The contract should describe training and availability obligations and the conditions provided by the club. Medical care, rehabilitation, insurance and disclosure of medical records deserve separate treatment. Injury may raise sporting, financial and contractual issues simultaneously; the answer depends on valid clauses and applicable rules.
For image rights, distinguish uses included in team activities from separate commercial campaigns. Duration, publication channels, sponsors and use after departure matter. Overly broad exclusivity may conflict with agreements the athlete has already signed.
Duration, transfer and termination must be considered together
Signing date, commencement and expiry may differ. Extension options, loan conditions and obligations on return must be coordinated. Minors are subject to additional rules; an adult player template should not be reused without review.
In international football, terminating the contractual relationship and registering with another club are separate steps. Following the Diarra judgment, FIFA amended the contractual stability framework, but a dispute or desire to transfer does not automatically remove existing obligations. The dispute resolution clause and relevant deadlines must also be checked.
What FIFA’s 2027 reform means for negotiations today
FIFA approved a new edition of its transfer regulations on 10 June 2026, taking effect on 1 January 2027. Transitional rules matter: some provisions depend on when events occurred, others on when the contract was concluded. Negotiations in 2026 should not be treated as though the entire future regime already applies.
Legal assistance in contract negotiations
Murar și Asociații can review documents, explain the effects of contractual terms and assist clients in negotiations based on their objectives. Founding partner George Iulian Murar also holds an active FIFA agent licence. Murar Sports Agency SRL's services are separate from legal assistance. The requested service, entity and governing documents are clarified at the outset.
Useful questions
Is a sports activity contract an employment contract?
They are distinct forms of contract. The FRF player status and transfer regulations state that a sports activity contract does not confer employee status; specific rights depend on the contract and applicable rules.
Can terms be changed after signing?
Changes must be assessed and properly recorded. Agreements on remuneration, duration or image rights should be reflected in written documents aligned with the contract and sporting formalities.
Legal sources
- FRF — Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Football Players — Articles 10–13; Article 12(2). Edition linked in the official index on 14 September 2026, read with relevant subsequent amendments.
- FRF — Sports activity contract, model dated 15 February 2023 — Articles 16–17: documenting the relationship, amendments and mandatory rules.
- FIFA — Legal Handbook 2025 — July 2025 RSTP, Articles 14, 17 and 18; Circular No. 1917, PDF pp. 1018–1021.
- FIFA — Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, January 2027 — Articles 26 and 29, p. 60: transitional provisions and entry into force on 1 January 2027.
This analysis provides general information by reference to the sources and date stated. Advice on a specific situation depends on the documents, applicable law and any transitional rules.