Euro Football Agents Earning £340m A Year

A new report on the activity of football agents in Europe has revealed that the yearly combined turnover for representatives in UEFA member national associations stands at approximately €400m (£340m). 

The study also highlights the level of concentration in the player representation market, with half of footballers in the five biggest European football markets – England, Italy, Spain, Germany and France – are represented by just 83 football agents or agencies.

The report also found that in November 2011, there were 6,082 licensed agents worldwide and 2,405 of them within countries hosting the big five European leagues.

Using the commissions data available in these five nations, it appears agents’ average earnings are upwards of €100,000 a year, although there will be massive variations.

A questionnaire survey carried out by the authors of the study, Raffaele Poli and Giambattista Rossi, shows that agents are on average aged 42. Only 3.4% of them are female.

Almost three quarters of agents hold a university degree, and 71% of them speak a foreign language at intermediary or above. 

Only 41% of licensed agents carry out the job full-time, with the majority operating in other business sectors – primarily law and finance.

The study also shows that a minority of agents (46%) support their clients in personal care activities such as finding a house or flat, organize travel, helping family members, etc. 

Sporting directors are clearly indicated as the most important business partners when placing players, followed by football managers – almost 40% of agents have already represented at least one coach since starting their career – while 15% of licensed agents admitted owning or having owned shares in players’ transfer rights.

The full 82-page report, compiled by the CIES Football Observatory in Switzerland from a huge survey of agents and corroborated by official data from FIFA on international transfers, is available to download here.