As someone who continuously advocates for grassroots players and clubs, it’s heartbreaking to read some of these stories of injustice. I recently came across the cases of Mikayil Faye and Baye Coulibaly, both involved in what are known as bridge transfers.
🔍 What Is a Bridge Transfer ⁉️
A bridge transfer occurs when a player is temporarily registered with an intermediary club—often for a very short period—before being transferred to their actual destination club. These transfers are typically not made for sporting reasons, but rather to circumvent FIFA regulations, especially those concerning training compensation and solidarity payments.
🔴 In Faye’s case, he disappeared from Diambars FC in Senegal and reappeared months later in Croatia, briefly playing for third-division club NK Kustošija before being transferred to Barcelona. Despite training him for years, Diambars received no compensation, while Kustošija and intermediaries profited 😢
🔴 In Coulibaly’s case, his former club reportedly received only €50,000 from a €1.95 million transfer fee. The majority of the profit went to the bridge club and agents 😢
📜 FIFA’s Ban on Bridge Transfers
In March 2020, FIFA introduced Article 5bis in its Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP).
This article presumes a bridge transfer has occurred if a player is transferred twice within 16 weeks, unless the clubs can prove the moves were made for genuine sporting reasons.
⚖️ Case Study: Paris FC & Angers SCO
In this case, the player signed his first professional contract with Paris FC on 1 July 2020, was registered on 6 July, and transferred to Angers SCO just six weeks later, on 18 August 2020.
FIFA concluded the move was not for sporting purposes, but to circumvent training compensation rules.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee sanctioned both clubs with:
💸 A CHF 30,000 fine
⛔ A transfer ban at national and international level for one registration period
This was the first time FIFA imposed sanctions for a bridge transfer violation since Article 5bis came into force.
🌍 Why This Matters
Bridge transfers disproportionately affect grassroots and African academies, who invest years in developing young talent only to be left uncompensated.
📣 Call to Action
As agents, clubs, and federations, we must uphold the principles of fair play and transparency.
To protect football development at the grassroots level, we must:
✅ Educate academies on FIFA’s Article 5bis and their rights
✅ Monitor transfers involving academy players more closely
✅ Report suspicious patterns to FIFA or national federations
Let’s protect the future of football by ensuring ethical and lawful transfer practices.
📰 Ref: Journalismfund Europe – Croatian Bridge Business Model
To enjoy the full benefit of this post and some interesting comments, you can also view it on LinkedIn: