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FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs
Application process to obtain match-approved IMS – International Match Standard Footballs
01.01.2020/Version 1.5
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 2
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.
For more detailed information on the FIFA Quality Programme, visit www.FIFA.com/quality.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 3
Application process summary and checklis t 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 ([email protected])
Company profile (see 1.1)
WFSGI pledge – process to be handled with WFSGI directly under [email protected] (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 admin 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
Non-Commercial Licence Agreement
Send two copies of the signed Licence Agreement to FIFA
FIFA will send a countersigned copy of the Non-Commercial Licence Agreement and 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.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 4
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 ([email protected] 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 conditions of the Licence Agreement. All the below criteria must be met.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 5
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 5 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.
Information Ball Model
Ball type* Certificate IMS – International Match Standard
Manufacturer Ball brand
Model Name
* Indicate Size 4, Size 5, Futsal or Beach Soccer 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 admin fee. 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 admin fee Once you have received the invoice for the admin fee (there is no further licence fee for the non-commercial license), please make the payment in accordance with the details thereon:
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.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 6
2.2. Send balls for testing
Send seven (7) test footballs per model for an “IMS” to the FIFA-accredited test institute listed below.
The balls may be sent before the admin fee 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:
PFI Marie Curie Straße 19 66953 Pirmasens Germany Kai Tinschert +49 6331 2490 16 [email protected]
CSI S.p.A. Viale Lombardia 20 20021 Bollate (MI) Italy Paolo Monticelli +39 02 38330305 [email protected]
Sports Labs Ltd. 1 Adam Square Brucefield Industry Park Livingston EH54 9DE West Lothian, Scotland United Kingdom Thomas Chilvers + 44 (0) 7943 846 611 [email protected]
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.
Step 3: S igning the Non-Commercial Licence Agreement
In order to start with step 3, you must have received the Non-Commercial Licence Agreement from FIFA following a positive ball test.
FIFA´s basic non-commercial licence, allows producers to make footballs bearing the “IMS – International Match Standard” mark only (“Non-Commercial Licence”), a summary of the Non-Commercial Licence Agreement is listed below:
Non-Commercial Licence
Contract period 2 years
Product liability insurance Yes
WFSGI Pledge 1 Yes
Guaranteed minimum royalty 0
Admin Fee (per tested ball) CHF 500
Quality marks IMS Yes
Royalties IMS CHF 0.00
1 A fee applies for obtaining the WFSGI pledge. See 1.2 for details
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 7
3.1. Reporting
The licensee shall submit a sales report every six (6) months and upon expiration or termination of the Licence Agreement. Such sales report will include the number of licensed products sold or distributed. For the avoidance of doubt, the licensee shall be obliged to submit sales report even if it has not made any sales or distributions.
3.2. Send two copies of the Non-Commercial Licence Agreement to FIFA
Following due diligence and thorough checking of the Non-Commercial 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 Non-Commercial 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: Finalis ing the approval of the ball Once the license procedure has been finalized, 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 Tom Parkinson, 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.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 8
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 [email protected] or by calling +41 31 939 60 61. The typical procedure is below:
Step 1 Request the WFSGI Pledge form from the WFSGI ([email protected])
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: 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 test fee is required. Partial tests or re-tests are not possible.
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 9
Annex 2: Example Product Liability Insurance*
* The above document is an example of a PLI coversheet for your guidance only
CHF 5’000’000,00
CHF 5’000’000,00
Non-Commercial Licensee – Application Procedure 10
Annex 3: Test criteria
