How a transfer takes place in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2
A transfer begins with a club expressing an interest in a player who is under contract at another club. If the player wants to move clubs, they agree a contract with their potential future club, and once the current and future clubs ultimately agree on the transfer fee to be paid, an employment contract and a transfer contract are concluded.
The processes were simplified and optimised with the introduction of the TOR online system in 2015. All registrations of players, applications for granting licences and transfers take place via this system. But how does the DFL’s TOR system work?
Questions and answers about the TOR system
What is the TOR system?
TOR stands for Transfer Online Registration system. The DFL’s TOR system is an online platform on which all clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 can handle all professional player-related processes.
Which processes can be concluded using the TOR system?
The TOR system is a web application. Information concerning transfers, contract extensions and player registrations, for example, is entered there via an input screen. The clubs can also upload all relevant documents there, thus depositing them with the DFL. In accordance with the Player Licensing Rules, the 36 professional clubs are obliged to use the system designed by the DFL. The promotion of youth players to the professional squad is also recorded in the system.
How long has the system been in place?
The system was introduced for the 2015-16 season. The development phase began in January 2014 and led to a testing phase in March 2015. The TOR system was updated last year and made easier to use in some areas. Work on the development of the system continues unabated.
Which documents must the signing club submit to complete a transfer?
Altogether, between eight and ten different documents need to be submitted to the DFL. This depends on whether a player is moving to Germany from abroad and whether they are a non-EU citizen, for example. The documents include the employment contract and the confirmation of fitness for sport that is issued following the obligatory medical check. To enable a transfer to be completed, the majority of the documents must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on the last day of the transfer window at the latest. The release documents from a selling club abroad, the player’s residence permit and the documents pertaining to the examination determining the player’s fitness for sport can also be submitted later within specified time limits. Incidentally, players who are not under contract can also be signed at any time during a season between the first transfer window and the end of the second transfer window (on 31 January as a rule).
What happens if documents are missing?
If clubs have forgotten fields on the input screen, have completed documents incorrectly or have not submitted a piece of evidence, the system will point this out to them. If a club does not react to these notices, those responsible at the DFL will get in touch with their contact persons to make them aware of the problems. As a further technical aid, a countdown timer shows how much time is left before the transfer window closes. Following successful submission, the clubs can view the processing status in the system at any time.
When is a player licence refused?
If a team doctor determines that a player is not fit for sport, he will not receive a player licence from the DFL. Likewise, no player licence can be granted if, in an international transfer, the relinquishing association does not issue clearance for the player. In such cases, the DFL turns to FIFA to obtain clearance if possible. The relinquishing association has seven days to respond to a FIFA request initiated by the DFL. If the relinquishing association fails to make any contact whatsoever within seven days, the player will automatically receive provisional clearance.
How many transfers take place within the transfer windows?
Based on experience, more player transfers take place in the transfer window between two seasons – in the 2021-22 season, the system handled a total of 262 transfers between 1 July and 31 August. In the winter transfer window from 1 to 31 January, it was 63 transfers.
Players that are not attached to any club as a licensed player or contracted player at the end of the summer transfer window and are therefore not eligible to play for a club thereafter, not even as an amateur, are also able to move to a club outside of the transfer window up to 31 December.
What advantages does TOR offer?
The system allows clubs and the DFL to work paper-free. As a result, the DFL can act far more swiftly than before in processing. The system is also more transparent, because all clubs know exactly what the processing status of their applications is. In addition, TOR means that all information is collected at a central point and can be accessed at any time. This also allows the DFL to generate reports in the system on the basis of all available data.