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1. The January window is now open & new post-Brexit FA rules governing football players wishing to play in the EPL/EFL are now in place.
The FA's press release is available here https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/dec/01/gbe-points-based-system-launched-011220
A short thread on the men's rules.
The FA's press release is available here https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/dec/01/gbe-points-based-system-launched-011220
A short thread on the men's rules.
1. The previous Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) requirements only related to non-EEA players playing in the EPL/EFL. This was because the EU free movement provisions benefitted all European workers wishing to work in the UK.
1. There are two routes for any player who is not a citizen of the UK and has not acquired permanent residence, been granted pre-settled status or settled status under the government’s EU Settlement scheme (Foreign Player).
From 1 Jan, all Foreign Players will require a GBE
From 1 Jan, all Foreign Players will require a GBE
2. The first route
'The Auto-Pass': A player will receive a GBE if his international appearances meet the auto-pass criteria. The national team criteria relate to his percentage of appearances and the team’s aggregate ranking.
'The Auto-Pass': A player will receive a GBE if his international appearances meet the auto-pass criteria. The national team criteria relate to his percentage of appearances and the team’s aggregate ranking.
3. Based on the current rankings, a Foreign Player from the Argentinian, Brazilian, French or Columbian national team (currently in the top 10 FIFA aggregate rankings) who has made 30% or more international appearances during the relevant time period will gain a GBE.
4. A Mexican, Chilean or Peruvian national team player (currently in 11-20 FIFA rankings) who has made 40% or more international appearances during the relevant time period will gain a GBE.
5. A Japanese, American or Venezuelan national team player (currently in the 21-30 places in FIFA rankings) who has made 60% or more international appearances during the relevant time period will gain a GBE.
6. The Second Route:
If the auto-pass route is not available (i.e. he hasn’t made the min % appearance requirements or his national team is not within the FIFA ranking positions), then the FA has a points based system.
A player needs 15 points or above, to be granted a GBE.
If the auto-pass route is not available (i.e. he hasn’t made the min % appearance requirements or his national team is not within the FIFA ranking positions), then the FA has a points based system.
A player needs 15 points or above, to be granted a GBE.
7. Points are scored based on:
a. Domestic Minutes;
b. Continental Cup Competition Minutes;
c. Final League Position of Selling Club;
d. Continental Cup Competition Progression of the Selling Club; and
e. League Quality of Selling Club.
a. Domestic Minutes;
b. Continental Cup Competition Minutes;
c. Final League Position of Selling Club;
d. Continental Cup Competition Progression of the Selling Club; and
e. League Quality of Selling Club.
8. There are a number of ways to reach 15 points. The below examples demonstrate some of the more straight-forward potential pathways. I purposefully only used two criteria (domestic minutes ((a) above) and league quality ((e) above)) to show the potential pathway to a GBE.
9. A player playing for an EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A or Ligue 1 club (Band 1) will receive a GBE if he has:
appeared in the squad list for the Player’s Last Club for at least one match (12 points); &
played in 30% of the available domestic league mins (6 points).
appeared in the squad list for the Player’s Last Club for at least one match (12 points); &
played in 30% of the available domestic league mins (6 points).
10. A player in a top league Portuguese, Belgian, Turkish, Eredivise or EFL Championship club (Band 2) will receive a GBE if he has:
appeared in squad list for Player’s Last Club for at least one match (10 points); &
played in 40% of available domestic league mins (5 points).
appeared in squad list for Player’s Last Club for at least one match (10 points); &
played in 40% of available domestic league mins (5 points).
11. A player in the top league Russian, Brazilian, Argentinian, Mexican or Scottish club (Band 3) will receive a GBE if he has:
appeared in the squad list for the Player’s Last Club for at least one match (8 points); &
played in 80% of available domestic league mins (7 points).
appeared in the squad list for the Player’s Last Club for at least one match (8 points); &
played in 80% of available domestic league mins (7 points).
12. As you can see, the lower the league banding (Bands 1-3 being the strongest), the higher the percentage appearance criteria required in order to attain the necessary points.
13. Importantly, a player from any country who has, say, played in the top Belgian league & played in under 50% of the club’s league domestic games, (& that’s not including the four other above criteria that could be applied to boost the player’s points total) would gain a GBE.
14. Crucially, this gives a pathway for players, regardless of their nationality, to transition into the EPL/EFL by first playing in Band 1-3 top league clubs in Portugal, Holland, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Mexico and Argentina.
15. Whilst the old work permit criteria for non-EU players was significantly more focused on national team appearances, transfer fee and wage criteria, this new points system is heavily weighted in favour of the strength of the player’s domestic club and league.
The full blog piece is available here https://www.danielgeey.com/post/five-key-takeaways-from-the-post-brexit-fa-work-permit-rules/
