Guide: do I need a football agent?
To take part in a camp, a trial or a showcase, nobody needs an agent. At the beginning of a career, performance and good footage matter more than representation.
When an agent helps
- When a club shows concrete interest and contract terms have to be negotiated
- For moves abroad, where rules, work permits and markets differ
- When a player has several options and needs an honest view from outside
Licensing
Under FIFA’s Football Agent Regulations, agents working on transfers need a FIFA licence, and FIFA publishes a register of licensed agents. The rules for representing minors are especially strict. Before signing anything, check that the agent is licensed and read the agreement with your parents.
Sports Excellence Group at the Campus
Sports Excellence Group, a football agency with a FIFA licence and partner of SKN St. Pölten, attends the Campus. Participants have the chance to be taken under contract directly by Sports Excellence Group; the aim is around ten players per season. Further agents attend as well. Whether and with whom a player signs remains the decision of the player — and of the parents for under-18s.
How agents are paid
Agents are usually paid a percentage of the player’s contract or a fee from the club involved in a transfer. The FIFA rules on fees have been changing; ask for the fee arrangement in writing before signing.
Warning signs
- Upfront fees in exchange for a promised trial or contract
- Guarantees of a professional contract
- Pressure to sign quickly or exclusively for a long period
- No clear company details or contact address
More about the Campus
- The four days at the SKN Excellence Campus
- Trial match against the SKN St. Pölten first team, and scouts
- Price and what's included
- Accommodation and food
- Who can take part
- Venue: SKN St. Pölten, Austria
- Booking, registration deadline and cancellation
- Organiser and partners
- A day at the Campus: daily times
- Travel and arrival: Vienna airport, train, transfer, visa
- For parents and guardians
- Packing list for the Campus
- Routes to a contract: SKN St. Pölten and Sports Excellence Group
- Guide: how do footballers get scouted?
- Guide: football CV and highlight video
- Guide: how to recognise a serious football camp
- Guide: is a professional contract guaranteed after a camp or trial?
- Football camp, trial, academy or tryout: the differences
- Guide: how realistic is becoming a professional footballer?
- Guide: how to prepare for a trial or camp — and how to stand out
- Guide: international players, minors and football rules
- Guide: how to recognise fake scouts and dubious offers
- Guide: what happens after a camp or trial — and if you are not selected
- Guide: mental strength, pressure and coachability
- The football market in Austria and Germany: a rough guide for young players
- What the top 1% do differently — and how the Campus trains for it
- Frequently asked questions