Noni retweetledi
Yesterday, I said I would tell you guys something I bet 90% of football fans dont know about International Friendlies. Well here goes.
Most people know what a football agent does. Very few people know that there is a completely separate category of Football Agents that has nothing to do with players and everything to do with the matches themselves.
And while over 10,000 licensed football agents compete for transfer fees generating over $1.37 billion in 2025 alone, this other group operates quietly in the background making sure the matches those players play in actually happen.
Let me introduce you to the FIFA Match Agent.
FIFA Match Agents do not represent players. They do not negotiate contracts. What they do is organise international football matches, primarily friendlies and cross-confederation fixtures, and they are the reason those games happen at all.
So you see those friendly matches that take place during International breaks, they organize them.
Think about it this way. When Nigeria plays France in a friendly during an international break, somebody had to connect those two federations, negotiate the date, agree the venue, sort the appearance fees, the TV rights, the sponsorship and the logistics. That somebody is almost certainly a licensed FIFA Match Agent.
Now here is where it gets interesting for anyone thinking about a career in football.
As of 2025, becoming a licensed Football Agent requires passing a rigorous exam with an 18% pass rate, meaning only 1,394 of 7,745 candidates who sat the exam passed. You also pay annual fees and complete mandatory continuing professional development every year.
The Match Agent licence has none of that. They write no exam and pay no annual fee to FIFA.
To get the license, you need a support letter from a national federation, professional liability insurance, and a completed application to FIFA's Agents Department. That is it. The barrier to entry is significantly lower even though the role demands serious international networks and logistical expertise.
Their earnings come from commission and are capped at a maximum of 25% of the negotiated match fee, broadcasting or sponsorship revenue, with 10% as the default if nothing is specified in the contract.
The community is small and organised under FIFMA, the Fédération Internationale des Agents de Match FIFA, based in Paris. Notable figures include Marcus Häusler of SOCCATOURS in Germany, who has organised hundreds of high-level fixtures since 2011, and Ellen Chiwenga, recognised as the only female African FIFA Match Agent and the sole woman in the role in England.
The football agent gets the headlines. The match agent makes sure the match actually happens.
Hope you have learned something today.
My name is Ajoje. I am a FIFA Licensed Agent and International Sports Lawyer. I write on the Law and Business of Football, a lot. Repost and Follow if you want to read more posts like this.
Ajoje⚽⚖️@israel_ajoje
I will tell you guys something I bet 90% of football fans dont know about International Friendlies tomorrow- or tonight. Be there.
English
