To play in the Premier League, a foreign player needs his club to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement from The FA. He qualifies either by meeting the automatic international-appearance threshold or by reaching at least 15 points under the points based system.
What approval is needed first
The FA is the approved governing body for football in England and can issue a Governing Body Endorsement for a player who is intended to play in matches organised or sanctioned by The FA, FIFA or UEFA, or organised by the Premier League or the English Football League and sanctioned by The FA.
Every player is assessed under the same criteria. The current criteria took effect on 1 June 2026 and are reviewed during the season so revised criteria can be issued before the following summer transfer window.
A Governing Body Endorsement is not the same thing as a visa or permission to stay. Visas and permission to stay are a Home Office matter.
The four routes to an endorsement
These are the four routes to a Governing Body Endorsement.
| Route | What it takes |
|---|---|
| Automatic pass | International appearances meet the auto pass share for his association's ranking band |
| Points | 15 points or more |
| Exceptions panel | 10 to 14 points, with evidence that exceptional circumstances prevented 15 |
| Youth player | The panel is satisfied he shows significant potential and would enhance the development of the game in England |
In practice, an application has to fit one of these routes. The first two are direct routes, while the other two depend on an exceptions panel.
How the automatic route and points route work
The automatic route depends on international appearances, but the threshold changes with the ranking band of the player's national association in the aggregated FIFA world rankings. If the association is in the top 10, appearing in 30 per cent of its matches is enough for an automatic pass. If the association is ranked 51st or lower, no share of appearances gives an automatic pass.
If the player does not qualify automatically, the points route applies. Points are awarded for international appearances, minutes played in his club's domestic league, minutes played in a continental competition, and the final league position of his last club. Reaching 15 points or more is enough for an endorsement.
If the total is between 10 and 14 points, the club can still ask for the case to go to an exceptions panel, but it must provide evidence that exceptional circumstances stopped the player from reaching 15.
What the exceptions panel can act on
The panel does not make a free-form judgment on every application. It can recommend an endorsement only on two defined bases.
- First, it can be satisfied that exceptional circumstances prevented the player from reaching 15 points and that he would otherwise have reached that mark.
- Second, it can be satisfied that a youth player shows significant potential and is of sufficient quality to enhance the development of the game in England.
A total between 10 and 14 points does not by itself secure an endorsement; it only allows the club to ask for an exceptions panel.
Loans, trials, transfers and deadlines
Whether an application has to be made depends on the type of move. No Governing Body Endorsement is issued for a player who is trialling with an English club, and a club that wants to trial a player is told to contact the Home Office. A loan from one English club to another needs no application, while a loan from a club affiliated to another national association does. A player who already holds an endorsement must apply again if he transfers permanently to another club.
During a transfer window, an application should reach The FA by midday on the relevant deadline day if it is to be processed that day. For each application, the club must pay an administration fee of £500 plus VAT.
FAQ
Do Premier League players need a work permit?
The FA deals with the Governing Body Endorsement side of the process. It does not advise on immigration routes, processes or status, and visas are handled by the Home Office.
What is a Governing Body Endorsement in football?
It is the approval issued by The FA for a player who is intended to play in the relevant matches. For foreign players entering this system, it is the football-specific approval a club has to secure first.
Can a player from any country play in the Premier League?
The criteria are the same for every player. What changes is the automatic-pass threshold linked to the ranking band of his national association, and some players may need the points route or an exceptions panel instead.
How does The FA decide if an overseas player can sign?
It first checks the automatic route through international appearances. If that is not met, it turns to the points based system, and only certain cases can then go to an exceptions panel.