About The AFA

The Association of Football Agents.

The AFA conducts its day to day business through a highly integrated operational network managed by the board. The internal business activity reaches a wide audience through newsletters and regular face to face meetings led by board members around the UK. Meetings are open to all members and directly address issues of the day with the focus being to provide practical support and guidance across the contractual hot spots around the transfer market and related topics.

The board is exceptionally well connected, individually and collectively, with “centres of influence” including international partner and associate organisations and regular dialogue with the Football Association and FIFA. The AFA has a growing library of key documents covering codes of conduct and transfer rules and regulations which are made available to members.

In a rapidly changing industry with the increasing prospect of direct regulation there has never been a better time for co-ordinated lobbying capability and real collective bargaining power.   

History of The Association

The Association of Football Agents was founded by Mel Stein and Jon Smith in 2005 to form a united representative body for Football Agents in England. At the time several important issues, such as tougher domestic industry regulation by the FA and increasing influence over the game by FIFA, required a “group voice” to further the interests of sports professionals within football.

The AFA now represents around 340 professional agents, ranging from large corporate organizations to small firms within the transfer market estimated to have a turnover of £500m per year.

Central to the current operations of the AFA is continuing professional development for its members ensuring that standards are at the highest level possible and training and qualification programmes for those new to the industry.   

The AFA board now directs its future growth and influence in expectation of industry wide acceptance as the primary recognized professional body within the domestic and international arenas.