Football Work Permit Regulations

In the English football system (known as soccer in the United States), all foreign players must obtain a valid work permit before being cleared to play professionally. Players without this work permit are ineligible to play in the Premier League or for any other member of the Football League. The foreign player's club must apply for the work permit, or Governing Body Endorsement, on his behalf. To have the work permit approved, the club must prove the foreign player complies with all of the regulations set forth by The Football Association.

  1. International Appearances

    • Any foreign player who seeks a work permit must have appeared in at least 75 percent of his national team's competitive A matches during the previous two years. A competitive A match includes the World Cup, World Cup qualifying and any other match played in the country's federation. If the player has not fulfilled this requirement because of injury, the club must provide written evidence documenting the player's injury history.

    National Team Ranking

    • The player's national team must also be ranked in the top 70 in the official FIFA world soccer rankings. The Football Association averages the monthly FIFA rankings over a two-year period to assess whether the player meets this requirement. The national team ranking regulation ensures the prospective player comes from a strong international playing background.

    League Membership

    • The club cannot apply for a work permit on the player's behalf unless it is a member club of the Premier League or the Football League. Work permits are only granted to players in these leagues, so his parent club must be a proper member to receive the work permit.

    Length of Work Permit

    • When the club's initial application has been approved, the player is granted a valid work permit for a maximum of three years or the length of his contract, whichever is shorter. If the player's contract exceeds three years, the club may file extensions in two-year increments.