Club Registrar's Guide to Football Australia Registration Regulations 2026

Any time a Player registers for the first time with a Club, the Player must give the Club evidence of their name and age by producing an original birth certificate, passport or driver's licence. The Club must sight that evidence and satisfy itself that it is accurate before approving the registration in the National Online Registration System.

For a Professional registering with a National Premier Leagues or Australian Championship Club, the Club must also sight and retain evidence of the Player's right to work in Australia (for example a passport or visa) where applicable.

Source: NRSTRs, articles 6.4(e) and 6.5.

A registration only takes effect from the date the Player is approved within the National Online Registration System by the relevant Club, District Association, Member Federation, Competition Administrator or Football Australia (FA) (article 6.6). Football Australia's Circular 26-02 (1 October 2026) describes this as the Player being made "active".

A Player cannot be approved unless and until:

1. the application complies with the Regulations;
2. the Player has been assigned a FIFA ID in the National Online Registration System; and
3. where the Player was previously registered with a Club, a National Transfer has been created in, and captured by, the National DTMS.

Duration:

• An Amateur's registration lasts for a Season. It ends on the later of the end of that Season or the time specified in the Competition Rules, unless it is ended earlier under article 12 (mid-season movement of an Amateur).
• A Professional's registration ends in accordance with their Professional Player Contract.

Sources: NRSTRs, article 6.6, Circular 26-02.

Where a Player was previously registered with a Club, a National Transfer must be created in, and captured by, the National Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS) before the Player can be approved in the National Online Registration System.

Under article 6.7:

• A Club must not let a Player take part in a Match unless the Player is validly registered. For a National Transfer, that means the Club has accurately entered all mandatory information needed to request a Domestic Transfer Certificate (DTC) in the National DTMS, and has received a valid DTC for the Player.
• The Player must give the new Club truthful and accurate information about their former Club so the new Club can create the National Transfer and receive the DTC.
• A Club requesting a DTC must enter all mandatory information and upload all mandatory documents in the National DTMS no later than the closure of the relevant Registration Period.
• All Clubs involved in a National Transfer must use all reasonable endeavours, as soon as practicable and in a reasonable time, to complete it and have the DTC issued.
• Failing to meet the deadline may breach the Regulations and lead to sanctions under article 17.

Source: NRSTRs, articles 6.6 and 6.7.

If a Player was previously registered with an International Club, Football Australia (FA) must request an ITC from the other country's National Association through FIFA TMS. Under article 6.8:

• FA may only request an ITC for a Professional, or for an Amateur participating in a Professional Competition, during FA's Registration Periods as shown in FIFA TMS.
• An ITC is not required for a Player under 10 years of age.
• For a Minor (under 18) aged 10 or older, FA may request the ITC only if the corresponding Minor application has been approved by the FIFA Players' Status Chamber, or the Minor is eligible under FA's limited minor exemption.
• A Player cannot be registered until FA receives the ITC through FIFA TMS or receives confirmation that none is required.
• If the other National Association does not respond within 72 hours of FA's request, the Player may be registered on a provisional basis in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.
• For a Competition other than a National League, a Player needing an ITC can complete registration in the National Online Registration System only after FA gives the Member Federation a copy of the ITC. If no ITC is required, registration takes effect on the date FA gives the Member Federation written confirmation of that.
• Futsal needs a separate ITC, which can be requested outside FIFA TMS.

A Minor who has never been registered with a Club or International Club and is not an Australian national needs FIFA Players' Status Chamber approval for first registration, unless FA's limited minor exemption applies (article 6.9).

Source: NRSTRs, articles 6.8 and 6.9.

Registration Periods (article 6.10): unless Football Australia (FA) authorises otherwise, a Player may be registered only during one of two Registration Periods set or approved by FA:

• one of no less than 8 and no more than 12 weeks, beginning after a Season ends and before the next Season starts; and
• one of no less than 4 and no more than 8 weeks, in the middle of a Season.

The dates for National Leagues and Professional Competitions are those specified in FIFA TMS and notified by FA, and they apply to Professionals and to Amateurs seeking to register for a Club in a Professional Competition.

Amateur Competitions: Registration Periods do not apply. The Competition Administrator must specify in the Competition Rules any timeframes within which Players may be registered, taking into account the integrity of the Competition.

Outside the periods (article 6.11): FA or a Member Federation may register a Player outside a Registration Period only in the listed cases, subject to DTC or ITC requirements. They include: a Professional whose contract has expired or been mutually terminated, or who ended it with Just Cause or had it ended by the Club without Just Cause; a goalkeeper who needs a DTC but not an ITC, where FA or the Member Federation is satisfied the Club has a justifiable reason and evidence; a female Player temporarily replacing a female Player on Maternity, Adoption or Family Leave, or returning from that leave or pregnancy-related recovery; and any Player who needs a DTC but not an ITC where FA or the Member Federation is satisfied in its absolute discretion that exceptional circumstances exist.

A Club requesting a DTC must enter all mandatory information and upload all mandatory documents in the National DTMS by the closure of the relevant Registration Period.

Source: NRSTRs, articles 6.7, 6.10 and 6.11.

A Player can be registered with only one Club in each form of the game (such as eleven-a-side or futsal) at a time, and can play only for the Club they are registered with, except where:

• the Player is playing for a Representative Team;
• the Player is playing for a schools team that is not a Club;
• it is a benefit, testimonial or charity match and the Player has written special permission from Football Australia (FA) or the Member Federation;
• it is a trial match, the Player has their Club's written permission and plays no more than two trial matches (or the number set in the Competition Rules); or
• FA approves other exceptional circumstances in its absolute discretion, such as the nature and extent of injuries, suspension or Representative Team call-ups.

A Player playing for another Club under one of these exceptions cannot be treated as an ineligible player in any Competition Rules solely because they are not registered with that Club.

In a Season a Player may be registered with a maximum of three Clubs in each form of the game, and is eligible to play Matches (other than friendly or trial matches) for only two of them.

A Club must not play any person in a Match unless that person is registered with FA as a Player with that Club (subject to the exceptions above).

Source: NRSTRs, articles 6.2(b) and 6.13.

A Player is either an Amateur or a Professional. A Professional has a written contract with a Club under which they are paid more than the expenses they effectively incur to play football for that Club. An Amateur is any Player who is not a Professional.

A Club may pay or reimburse an Amateur for expenses they incur without affecting their Amateur status, including travel, kit, equipment and insurance premiums. If an Amateur is paid or reimbursed more than $115 a week by a Club, the Club must satisfy the Competition Administrator that the amount accurately reflects the expenses the Player incurred. If it does not, the Player is deemed to be a Professional.

The Club must ensure the Player's status (Amateur or Professional) is accurately recorded in the National Online Registration System at all times.

Source: NRSTRs, article 5.1.

Charging fees (article 6.15): a Club may charge Players a reasonable fee provided it discloses in the National Online Registration System all fees, levies and charges imposed by the Club, its District Association and/or Member Federation, and the national registration fee payable to Football Australia (FA), and the fee reflects actual expenses related to the Player's participation in a Competition. The onus is on the Club imposing the fee to satisfy its District Association, Member Federation and/or FA that it is reasonable.

Processing: FA fees, levies and charges for a registration, and any later amendment or management of the record, must be processed through the National Online Registration System (PlayFootball) unless FA approves otherwise (article 6.17).

Refunds (National Registration Fee Refund Policy, applicable from 1 November 2025):

• FA decides refunds of the national registration fee only where exceptional circumstances exist, where a Player pays the fee again after changing Clubs during a Season, where a request is declined or cancelled before the Participant is "Active" and has taken part in organised football, or where the law requires it.
• Refunds of fees imposed by a Club, Competition Administrator, District Association or Member Federation are for the body that imposed them to decide, under its own policy.
• Refund requests for fees paid through PlayFootball go through PlayFootball, not directly to those bodies. Fees paid directly to a body are requested from that body.
• Where a Club has paid the national registration fee for a Participant, the Club (not the Participant) requests that refund, through PlayFootball.
• Bodies that receive a request through PlayFootball must decide it within a reasonable time.

Sources: NRSTRs, National Registration Fee Refund Policy.

An Amateur cannot be transferred within Australia or loaned under a written agreement or for any consideration, such as a Transfer Fee or Loan Fee. For National DTMS purposes only, an Amateur may be the subject of a National Transfer.

Player-initiated: an Amateur who no longer wishes to play may let the registration lapse. To change Clubs during a Season, the Amateur must either sign Prescribed Form NRSTR08 (Cancellation of Amateur Registration) and send a copy to the Club and the Competition Administrator, or apply to de-register in the National Online Registration System, which notifies the Club and the Competition Administrator.

Club-initiated: if a Club no longer wants an Amateur to play, it must either complete and sign NRSTR08 and send a copy to the Amateur and the Competition Administrator, or apply to de-register the Player in the National Online Registration System, which notifies the Player and the Competition Administrator.

When de-registration takes effect: immediately once the other party has confirmed the notification, or seven days after the Player requested it, unless a Grievance has been started with the Competition Administrator under article 19.2.

Competition Rules may provide a proportionate refund of registration fees in certain no fault circumstances on de-registration.

Source: NRSTRs, article 12.

A Player or a Club must not be involved in a Bridge Transfer.

It is presumed that two consecutive transfers of the same Player between a Club and another Club or International Club within 16 weeks are a Bridge Transfer, unless Football Australia (FA) or the Member Federation decides otherwise in its sole and absolute discretion. The onus is on the party seeking to rebut the presumption to satisfy FA or the Member Federation that it is not a Bridge Transfer. That decision is final and cannot be appealed.

Source: NRSTRs, article 6.14.

Each Player registered with Football Australia (FA) must have a Player Passport containing the details set out in Prescribed Form NRSTR07, including the clubs the Player has been registered with since the season of their 12th birthday. If a birthday falls between seasons, the club the Player was registered with in the Season following the birthday must be listed.

Player Passports are required for the international movement of Players and to facilitate payment of any Training Compensation or Solidarity Contribution. Member Federations and Clubs must assist FA in implementing and completing Player Passports.

Source: NRSTRs, article 6.12.

Both sit in article 14 of the National Registration, Status and Transfer Regulations (NRSTRs, 22 September 2026) and are about Professionals.

Domestic Training Compensation

• It is due when a Player is registered as a Professional for the first time, or when a Professional transfers between Clubs and signs a subsequent Professional Player Contract, until the end of the Season of their 23rd birthday.
• It is not due for female Players, if the former Club ended the contract without Just Cause, if the Player moves to a Category C Club, or if the Player must reacquire Amateur status.
• Football Australia (FA) sets the amounts by Club category (A.1 = A-League Men Clubs, A.2 = A-League Men Clubs in their Youth or NPL capacity, B = other licensed NPL Clubs, C = all other Clubs). On a first Professional Contract the amounts are Nil (C to C, C to B), $5,000 (C to A.1), $6,000 (B to B), $10,000 (B to A.1 and A.2 to A.1). On later contracts it is $6,000 for B to B, B to A.1 and A.1 to A.1, and Nil otherwise.
• The new Club pays the full amount to FA within 30 days of registering the Player. FA distributes it and does not let Clubs net off what they owe against what they are owed.
• Entitlement is worked out from the Player Passport. Where an amount is pro-rated, it goes to eligible Clubs the Player has been registered with since age 12, in proportion to time registered.
• A Club must use Training Compensation to further train and educate Players.

Solidarity Contribution

• If a Professional moves (permanently or on loan) to an International Club, or to a Club where at least one International Club was involved in the Player's training, before their contract expires, 5% of the transfer or loan compensation (not counting Training Compensation) is deducted and distributed by FA to the Clubs involved in the Player's training between the Seasons of their 12th and 23rd birthdays.
• The new Club pays FA within 30 days of registration.

For international movements, Training Compensation and Solidarity Contributions follow the FIFA Statutes, and a Club without FIFA TMS access claims through FA.

Source: NRSTRs, article 14.