FIFA Quality Programme
for Footballs
Application process to obtain
match-approved balls and to
become a licenced producer
of the FIFA Quality
Programme
How to obtain a match-approved ball?
The Laws of the Game stipulate that footballs to be used in official matches must be produced by a company officially licensed under the FIFA Quality Programme. The same applies for Futsal and Beach Soccer Balls accordingly.
The following document is a comprehensive guide for any company seeking to produce footballs that comply with the Laws of the Game. This requires the ball to bear one of three quality marks alongside a unique authorisation number. These can be obtained by adhering to the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs which offers different commercial and non-commercial options to obtain match-approved balls. The FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs has been in place since 1996 and was developed with the aim of improving the quality of footballs produced and used throughout the world through the granting of licences to producers of footballs that meet FIFA’s quality and safety test criteria. The requirements for ball producers include basic regulatory documents in relation to the company (insurance and working
conditions) and a technical assessment of the produced balls. The detailed steps are explained in the next pages.
Application process summary and checklist
Please see the application process for the company and the ball tests below. Note that each step must be completed before the next one can be started.
Provide the following documents by email to FIFA (quality@fifa.org)
Company profile (see 1.1)
WFSGI pledge – process to be handled with WFSGI directly under pledge@wfsgi.org (see 1.2)
Product Liability Insurance (see 1.3)
Details of the ball that is to be tested (see 1.4)
FIFA will send you an email confirming all documents are correct and include an invoice for the ball test
In order for the ball to be tested the following should occur
Payment of the test fee for the initial ball test (see 2.1)
Send correct number of samples to selected test institute. Testing starts after payment (see 2.2)
The test institute sends the results to FIFA. FIFA will confirm by email and send the Licence Agreement
Licence Agreement
Send two copies of the signed Licence Agreement to FIFA
FIFA will send a countersigned copy of the Licence Agreement with the invoice for the minimum guarantee
Pay the minimum guarantee and finalise licence application
Pay the minimum guarantee as per the invoice send after step 3
Following payment, the Licence Agreement is fully executed and the company is a licensee of the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs. FIFA will provide the company with the following:
Test results of the tested ball and the authorisation number to be printed on the footballs
Access to the respective FIFA mark for use on the footballs
Access to the FIFA Quality Programme portal for managing all future ball test requests
To finalise the approval of the ball
Send one sample football with the printed FIFA or IMS logo to FIFA for approval
FIFA will confirm by email if the ball logo is approved. With this email the ball is officially approved and licensee can start the production of the ball.
Step 1: Company documentation
1.1.
Company profile
Applicants have to provide a detailed company profile (please provide the following information). Please fill this information out carefully as it is to be used as basis for the Licence Agreement.
Company Profile Company name
Legal Address Main Business Main contact person
Person(s) authorised to sign E-Mail Address
Phone Number
Football brand name(s) Manufacturer(s)
1.2.
WFSGI Pledge
The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) Pledge ascertains that FIFA-certified footballs have been produced in compliance with globally recognised labour principles and without the involvement of child labour set forth in the WFSGI Code of Conduct. The pledge must be requested and paid directly from the WFSGI (pledge@wfsgi.org or +41 31 939 60 61) making reference to the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs. The cost of the pledge is CHF 1’500 (subject to change by WFSGI). See Annex 1 for details.
The WFSGI pledge is valid for one year and must be renewed each year in order for the FIFA licence and ball approval to remain valid.
Note: A separate pledge approval is requested for each individual place of production.
1.3.
Product liability insurance
The proof of a product liability insurance during the whole period is an essential part of the Licence Agreement. This insurance is primarily in the interest of the licensee itself. If the national insurance market does not provide adequate insurance solutions, it is helpful and constructive to use an insurance broker with access to the international insurance market. The applicant has to provide written confirmation from the insurance company that the product liability insurance will be concluded as per the terms and
Product Liability Insurance – Minimum Requirements
1 Name and address of licensee (policyholder)
2 Territorial scope of application: worldwide coverage needed (incl. USA & Canada), no exclusions allowed
3 Period – Coverage needed throughout whole contract period
4 FIFA must be named as a co-insured party
5 Coverage: A minimum of CHF 3 million per claim for bodily injuries, property damages and pure financial losses.
For an example of a policy, see annex 2.
1.4.
Details of ball to be tested
The following ball information needs to be provided. See Annex 4 for guidance on how to fill out this form. Information Ball Model
Ball type* Certificate**
Manufacturer Ball brand
Model Name
Material Declaration
Construction Number of panels
Surface Casing Material
Material Composition Top Finish / Colour
Thickness Surface Layer
(mm) Layers
Lining Lining adhesive
Bladder Bladder Weight (g)
Backing Valve Weight (g)
* Indicate Size 4, Size 5, Futsal or Beach Soccer is desired. See Annex 3 for test criteria
** Indicate FIFA Quality, FIFA Quality PRO or IMS testing is desired. See Annex 3 for test criteria.
You will receive a confirmation email from FIFA confirming that all the submitted documents are correct accompanied by an invoice for the selected ball test. You may then proceed with step 2 of the application
Step 2: Starting the ball test
To start step 2 of the application process, you must have received a confirmation email from FIFA that the submitted documentation is correct.
2.1. Pay the invoice
Once you have received the invoice for the ball test (this is independent of any future licence fee), please make the payment in accordance with the details thereon. The invoice amount will reflect the selected target certificate with the rates per ball model below:
CHF 4,400 for a “FIFA Quality PRO” test (covering test fee and administration)
CHF 3,300 for a “FIFA Quality” test (covering test fee and administration)
CHF 500 for an “IMS” test. Note this is an administrative fee only and that the test itself will be invoiced by the test institute
The ball test will only be started once the invoice has been paid to FIFA. FIFA will notify the test institute of the payment. For IMS tests, the selected test institute may further request payment for the test ahead of proceeding.
2.2. Send balls for testing
Send ten (10) test footballs per model for “FIFA Quality” or “FIFA Quality PRO” test and seven (7) test footballs per model for an “IMS” to the FIFA-accredited test institute listed below.
Note that all “FIFA Quality” and “FIFA Quality PRO” balls must be tested by EMPA. For IMS testing, the manufacturer may choose between the listed accredited test institutes.
The balls may be sent before the invoice in 2.1 has been paid but will only be tested thereafter. Please note that it can take up to three weeks from the start of the test until the results are available for FIFA.
FIFA-accredited test institutes
:
EMPA Lerchenfeldstrasse 5 9014 St. Gallen Switzerland Ivo Rechsteiner +41 58 765 74 74 PFI
Marie Curie Straße 19 66953 Pirmasens Germany Kai Tinschert +49 6331 2490 16 kai.tinschert@pfi-germany.de CSI S.p.A. Viale Lombardia 20 20021 Bollate (MI) Italy Paolo Monticelli +39 02 38330305 lorenzoradice@csi-spa.com
As soon as FIFA receives the test results from the accredited test institute, it will notify the applicant
thereof. In the case of a positive result, FIFA will send the Licence Agreement to the company based on the test that was requested.
If a ball model does not meet FIFA’s standards, new samples may be submitted for testing. However, a re-test is subject to paying the re-test fee again (process starts again at step 2).
Step 3: Signing the Licence Agreement
In order to start with step 3, you must have received the Licence Agreement from FIFA following a positive ball test.
FIFA currently operates two tiers of the FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs depending on the quality of the footballs tested. The basic non-commercial licence, allows producers to make footballs bearing the “IMS – International Match Standard” mark only (“Non-Commercial Licence”), and a supplemental licence, which allows producers to make footballs bearing any of the below marks and grants certain additional marketing rights on top of the Non-Commercial Licence (“Commercial Licence”).
A summary of the two Licence Agreement types is listed below:
Non-Commercial Licence Commercial Licence
Contract period 2 years 4 years
Product liability insurance Yes Yes
WFSGI Pledge 1 Yes Yes
Guaranteed minimum royalty 0 CHF 20,000
Admin Fee (per tested ball) CHF 500 CHF 0
Quality marks IMS Yes Yes
FIFA Quality - Yes
FIFA Quality PRO - Yes
Royalties
(per sold ball)
IMS CHF 0.00 CHF 0.00
FIFA Quality - CHF 0.75 FIFA Quality PRO - CHF 1.50
3.1. Guaranteed minimum royalty, royalty payments & reporting
This section applies to the commercial Licence Agreement only.Upon the licensee’s signature of the commercial Licence Agreement, the guaranteed minimum royalty of CHF 20,000 (CHF 5,000 per contractual year) becomes due for payment. Royalty payments are recoupable against the guaranteed minimum royalty as well as any future cost of ball tests.
Royalties need to be paid on each licensed product sold or distributed (including, without limitation, any distribution free of charge) bearing one of the “FIFA Quality” or “FIFA Quality PRO” marks in accordance with the rates in the table above.
The licensee shall submit a royalty statement every six (6) months and upon expiration or termination of the Licence Agreement. Such royalty statement will include the number of licensed products (including the sale of licensed products which solely bear the IMS – International Match Standard mark) sold or distributed. For the avoidance of doubt, the licensee shall be obliged to submit royalty statements even if it has not made any sales or distributions on which royalties are payable.
1
3.2. Send two copies of the Licence Agreement to FIFA
Following due diligence and thorough checking of the Licence Agreement, send two full signed copies by mail (email is not sufficient) to FIFA, FIFA Quality Programme, FIFA-Strasse 20, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland. Note that the Licence Agreement will only become effective once FIFA has returned the countersigned document. For the sake of good order, it should be noted that the FIFA marks may only be used once the submitted football model(s) have passed the test and a Licence Agreement has been concluded.
Upon receipt of the signed Licence Agreement (two copies), FIFA will proceed to countersign and return one copy to the company.
Step 4: Guaranteed minimum royalty payment
(commercial Licence Agreement only)
For commercial Licence Agreements, FIFA will provide the invoice for the guaranteed minimum royalty at the same time as the countersigned Licence Agreement will be sent.
In order for the Licence Agreement to be fully executed, the payment will need to be made. Again, it should be noted that the FIFA marks may only be used once the submitted football model(s) have passed the test and a Licence Agreement has been concluded.
Step 5: Finalising the approval of the ball
Once the payment of the guaranteed minimum royalty has been received, FIFA will provide the company with access to the logos and details about how to finalise the ball approval.
Company will receive the following information:
Details of the tested ball
Individual authorisation number to be printed on each ball below this quality mark
Access to the FIFA Digital Archive to download the respective FIFA marks for use on the balls
Access to the FIFA Quality Programme portal for licensees
With these tools, the company can proceed to producing a sample ball with the correct logo and authorisation number. To finalise the approval of the ball, one physical sample shall be sent to FIFA:
Send ball for logo approval to FIFA, FIFA Quality Programme, FIFA-Strasse 20, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland
If the logo is correct, FIFA will confirm by email. At this point the ball is approved and can be sold bearing the quality mark it was tested for.
Upon the licensee’s signature of the commercial Licence Agreement, a successful test and the logo approval, details of the FIFA-certified football will be published on FIFA.com:
Annex 1: Frequently Askey Questions
Q: I have a quality assurance process in place. Do I still need the WFSGI pledge?
Yes, each manufacturer is required to provide the WFSGI pledge. Without this, the Licence Agreement cannot be signed and automatically terminates in case the pledge is not renewed for the subsequent years of the Agreement. For the WFSGI Pledge form or any further information, please contact the WFSGI by e-mail pledge@wfsgi.org or by calling +41 31 939 60 61. The typical procedure is below:
Step 1 Request the WFSGI Pledge form from the WFSGI (pledge@wfsgi.org)
Step 2 Duly complete and sign the WFSGI Pledge form, submit a social audit and return to WFSGI
Step 3 WFSGI will verify compliance with WFSGI Code of Conduct
Step 4 If WFSGI requirements are met, WFSGI will issue invoice for the approval service (CHF 1´500)
Step 5 Once service fee is paid WFSGI will send confirmation of pledge to FIFA
Q: Can FIFA recommend an insurer for the Product Liability Insurance?
FIFA cannot recommend any single company. Generally, large international insurance companies will be able to provide the necessary cover and policy. Please note that to date this has been possible in every territory worldwide so please contact several insurers in case you are not getting the requested cover.
Q: I have a non-commercial Agreement. Can I conclude a commercial Agreement at any time?
Yes you can conclude a commercial Licence Agreement. However you would need to do the FIFA Quality ball test and the Minimum Guarantee of CHF 20´000 for the 4 year period would apply
Q: How does the recuperation of royalties against the guaranteed minimum royalty and future ball tests work?
This applies only to the commercial Licence Agreement. After paying the guaranteed minimum royalty, the company submits a royalty report every 6 months. The amount of royalties will be subtracted from the amount paid and FIFA will inform the company of the remaining balance (CHF 20’000 – royalties). Once the balance is negative, company will receive a further invoice for the royalties due. Any further successful ball test will see the fee added to the recoupable amount (+CHF 4’400 or +3’300 depending on the test).
Q: I applied for a “FIFA Quality Pro” test. My ball however only met the “FIFA Quality” criteria. Do I need to re-test?
You can decide if you want to accept your ball as “FIFA Quality” in which case the test fee of CHF 3´300 is credited to your account and recoupable against royalties. Alternatively, you can re-test for “FIFA Quality Pro” for which you restart the procedure paying a new test fee of CHF 4´400. No credit of the first test fee.
Q: What happens if my ball fails just one criterion or one value?
If a ball fails any single criterion – irrespective of nature of the fail – the test is considered failed. A full re-test with 10 samples (7 for IMS) and a full new re-test fee is required. Partial re-tests or re-re-tests are not possible.
Annex 2: Example Product Liability Insurance*
Annex 4: Example material declaration
Material DeclarationConstruction* Thermal Bonded/TSBE, Hand stitched or
machine stitched, laminated* Number of panels Surface Example: structured or smooth, dimples,
dots, etc. Casing Material Depending on construction* Material Composition Depending on construction* Top Finish / Colour
Thickness Surface
Layer (mm) Layers
Lining
Examples
• Thermal bonded (see construction)
• Hand stitched: up to 4 layers
• Machine stitched: nylon winded
• Laminated: 2 – 3 layers woven / fleece
Lining adhesive Example: Latex
Bladder
Examples:
• Styrene Rubber; SBR (Styrol-Butadin-Rubber) or NBR (Nitril Butagen Rubber)
• Latex: natural Latex, synthetic Latex
• TPU, Butyl
Bladder Weight (g)
Backing
Examples:
• Hand stitched: synthetic 2-3 layers but also 4 layers are possible p/c
Polyester/Cotton
• Machine stitched: P/C
• Laminated: woven/fleece
Valve Weight (g)
*Depending on the construction, the following information should be added:
Thermal bonded or TSBE Hand stitched Machine stitched Laminated
outside/up PU (1,5 – 2 mm) / TSBE : TPU 0,10
POE Foam ( approx.. 2mm) / TSBE: Foam 3 mm
cover thickness (approx.. 4 mm)/ TSBE: 3,15 mm
Fabric (to guarantee connection between foam and bladder)
Bladder
Fabric and Bladder are parts of the Carcass
outside/up PU or synthetic leather – approx.. 1,0 – 1,5 mm Fabric: 0,5 mm / 2 - 3 layers PES/Cotton outside/up TPU approx.. 0,15 mm TPE foam approx. 4
mm
fabric 0,2 mm fabric, winding and
inner bladder are parts of the Carcass Winding
bladder
outside PU/PVC fabric – woven/flees bladder Latex/Butyl
