Training equivalent — what is it and how much can your transfer cost?

‍Training Equivalent

The equivalent for training a player in handball is financial compensation for the club where the player was trained. The equivalent is supposed to be a form of return of the funds that a given club has “invested” in the development of the player. The equivalent is essentially due to the player's existing club. A club may demand payment of the equivalent in its favour if a player moves to another club and is not over 23 years of age in a given season.

In Poland, the rules on the amount and calculation of the equivalent are set out in Annex No 5 to the Regulations for Changing Club Colors of the Handball Association in Poland (ZPRP) from 2024. The rules concerning the equivalent for athletes trained in other countries are governed by the federal laws of the respective state.

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1. Equivalent for training in the event of a dispute between clubs

In the event of a dispute between clubs regarding the transfer of a player, the following training equivalent rates shall apply, broken down by class and gender:

Men

• Super League: 30 000 PLN
• II Gameplay Class: 20 000 PLN
• II Gameplay Class 15.000 PLN
• others: 7 000 PLN

women

• Super League: 25 000 PLN
• II Gameplay Class: 15 000 PLN
• II Gameplay Class 12.000 PLN
• others: 7 000 PLN

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2. Equivalent for the training of Polish representatives

For players who have represented Poland in the international arena, the equivalent for training is:

Men

• Seniors: 45 000 PLN
• Youth staff: 25 000 PLN
• Juniors: 20 000 PLN

women

• Seniors: 35 000 PLN
• Youth staff: 20 000 PLN
• Juniors: 15 000 PLN

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The amount of equivalents for performances in the league and the national team of Poland does not add up.‍

This equivalent applies, which is higher!

Example: The 19-year-old player plays in the Men's Central League, in which he played more than 50% of the +1 matches, and at the same time he is a representative of Poland U21 and took part in official international matches.

• The equivalent of a game in the Central League (1st class of competition) is maximum 20 000 PLN.
• The equivalent for representing Poland U21 is 25 000 PLN.

In this case, the club is obliged to pay 25 000 PLN, because the higher equivalent is due to the fact that the player is a representative of Poland, and not from his performances in the league.

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3. Player age factor

When calculating the equivalent, the age of the athlete is taken into account. For athletes aged 21 to 23, a coefficient of 1.3 is additionally applied, which means that the basic amount of the equivalent is multiplied by this coefficient.

4. Equivalent for international transfer

In a situation where a player moves to a foreign club, the equivalent for training is determined according to the following rules:

Players with contract (age 16-23 years): A maximum of 3 575€ for each season in which a player has held a contract. This amount is transferred to the player's home club.

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If you are you are an amateur and you sign a contract abroad:

Amateur athletes (age 16-23 years) signing a contract with a new club:

• Clubs from the leading federations according to the IHF list: 1 535€
• Clubs from developing federations according to the IHF list: 1 025€
• Clubs from other federations according to the IHF list: 515€

These amounts are transferred to the player's home club.

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Equivalent for the training of Polish representatives 🇵🇱

National team players (age 16-23 years): The additional equivalent is a maximum of 1 535€ for each season from the moment of the first appearance in the official match of the national team in any age category.

This amount is transferred to the athlete's home national federation.

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5. Transfer fees for international transfers

The fees associated with international transfers are defined as follows:

Home Federation:

• Professional players: 1 535€
• Amateur players: 154€

EHF (European Handball Federation):

• Professional players: 1 535€
• Amateur players: 154€

6. Fees for accepting foreign players and returning from abroad

When registering foreign players in Polish league competitions, the following fees apply to ZPRP:

• Professional players: 6 000 PLN
• Amateur players: 3 500 PLN

When accepted for league play Polish athlete returning from abroad The fee for the ZPRP is accepted according to the rates as for domestic players.

⚠️It is worth notingthat the above rates and rules are subject to change. Therefore, it is always recommended to check with the current ZPRP documents or contact the ZPRP directly for the latest information.

The rules of transfers in countries other than Poland are regulated differently and you should familiarize yourself with the rules in force in this country - preferably by contacting your home union.

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