DENMARK Trends and Developments Contributed by: Frederik Bruhn, Tim Krarup Nielsen, Robert Jønsson and Rasmus Theis Madsen, DAHL Law Firm
Regulations to protect young football players in Denmark The DBU has implemented strict national regula - tions to protect young football players from early exposure and ensure that they are not pressured into professional careers prematurely. In line with FIFA’s Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) and FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP), the DBU has adopted addi - tional safeguards to govern the representation and transfer of minors. These measures primar - ily focus on minimum age requirements, agent engagement restrictions, and prohibitions on premature contract negotiations. Under the national DBU Agent Regulations, DBU-licensed football agents who have com - pleted the required FIFA CPD course on minors may only approach a player six months before the player turns 15 for the purpose of entering into a representation agreement. This restriction aligns with FIFA’s approach but further strength - ens national-level safeguards by imposing clear - er and earlier limitations on when agents can contact young players. The DBU outlines additional protective meas - ures, including: • a complete ban on player contracts for play - ers under 15 years old; and • a prohibition on clubs contacting players under 14½ years old or their legal guardians regarding potential future contracts. Furthermore, a football agent may not receive a service fee when engaged to perform football agent services relating to a minor unless the relevant player is signing their first or subse - quent professional contract in accordance with the law applicable in the country or territory of
allows for a contractual structure where agents operate within an agency framework while still complying with FIFA’s regulatory intent. This issue is particularly significant for agencies to consider, especially given the growing trend of larger agencies absorbing individual agents. Increased Commercialisation of Youth Transfers Danish football has undergone significant chang - es in recent years, with clubs’ financing increas - ingly relying on youth player transfers as a key revenue stream. Many clubs, including those outside the Superliga, have adopted a business model centred on talent development and early player sales. This approach allows clubs to gen - erate substantial profits before young players reach their peak potential. The trend of selling young talents at high transfer fees is particularly evident in clubs like FC Nor - dsjælland and FC Copenhagen, both of which have successfully transferred multiple young players for record-breaking sums. Recent exam - ples include: • Ernest Nuamah sold to RWD Molenbeek for approximately EUR25 million (DKK168 mil - lion); • Conrad Harder transferred to Sporting CP for allegedly EUR19 million (DKK141 million); • Orri Óskarsson sold to Real Sociedad for approximately EUR20 million (DKK149 mil - lion); and • Hákon Arnar Haraldsson transferred to LOSC Lille for allegedly EUR15 million (DKK111 mil - lion). These transfers highlight how Danish clubs can generate significant financial returns by strategi - cally developing and selling young players.
99
CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook