The Association of Football Agents (AFA) are resisting imminent changes to their regulations and are lobbying the FA to let them govern themselves.
FIFA are about to hand the management of agents' practices to the national football associations, bringing with it a series of mandatory reforms, some of which the AFA claim are in breach of EU law.
The AFA have already filed a complaint to the European Commission and threatened the FA with legal action if they attempt to impose these measures, and as an alternative they have proposed the idea of self-regulation.
While admitting a self-regulating agents association is possible, the FA have told Sky Sports they will proceed with carrying out FIFA's measures and continue to govern agents' in England.
“As a member association, the FA is required to comply with the regulations and statutes laid down by FIFA,” a spokesperson said.
“Given that FIFA has set mandatory requirements regarding agents and intermediaries to be applied by national associations, the FA will continue to regulate in this area.
“The establishment of a self-regulating agents association would be a decision for the agents themselves, but individuals would remain subject to the relevant football bodies’ rules and regulations in addition to standards an association might set for its members.”
The AFA and FA discussed these imminent changes at a meeting in Europe with other national associations this week.
And Mel Stein, chairman of the AFA, told Sky Sports he hoped the FA would agree to let his association govern themselves.
He said: “I've been banging on about self-regulation to the FA for years but they've been reluctant to change.
“We're not represented within the FA. The Premier League, Football League, PFA and even the League Managers Association all have a seat on the FA Council, but we don't and it's ridiculous.
“We have already complained to the EU Commission and threatened the FA with legal action over the changes FIFA are implementing.
“And at the meeting it seemed that, for the first time, most agreed self-regulation would work and we hope the FA will agree that this is the sensible way forward for everyone.”
FIFA's changes, which come into effect on April 1, include all transfer deals being annually published online, a total prohibition on agents' fees for players under the age of 18, and a reduction in the cap on all agents fees from 5% to 3%.
But the changes also mean agents will no longer be required to have a license, which the AFA argues would allow persons without proper checks and qualifications to act as an 'intermediary' in a transfer deal.
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