Spain proposes new anti-money laundering rules for football

The Spanish government is developing new legislation to combat money laundering within professional football, specifically targeting clubs, agents, and player transfers. This initiative aims to adapt Spanish law to the European Union's regulatory framework, specifically Regulation 2024/1624.

Under the proposed law, professional football teams—particularly those in the top division, La Liga—will be required to provide detailed information regarding the origin of funds and the identity of investors and sponsors. The measure seeks to increase transparency in high-volume financial operations and player transfers, which the EU identifies as high-risk sectors for illicit financial movements.

The draft legislation includes the creation of the National Financial Integrity Authority (Anifi) to oversee club agreements. While major clubs will be subject to these strict oversight measures, the regulation includes an exemption for clubs with an annual turnover of less than 5 million euros. The government intends to implement these measures by July 2027.