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Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato Deportivo Profesional)

Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato de Deportista Profesional)

CONTRATO DE DEPORTISTA PROFESIONAL

Professional Sports Contract Spain

Governed by Real Decreto 1006/1985, de 26 de junio (Relación Laboral Especial de los Deportistas Profesionales)

1. PARTES / PARTIES

CLUB O ENTIDAD DEPORTIVA / SPORTS CLUB / ENTITY:

Nombre / Name: [Club Name]

NIF/CIF: [Club NIF]

Domicilio social / Registered Address: [Club Address]

Representante legal / Legal Representative: [Club Representative]

Licencia federativa (club) / Federation Licence (Club): [Club Licence]

DEPORTISTA PROFESIONAL / PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE:

Nombre / Name: [Athlete Name]

DNI / NIE / Pasaporte / Passport: [Athlete DNI]

Fecha de nacimiento / Date of Birth: [Date of Birth]

Nacionalidad / Nationality: [Nationality]

Domicilio / Residential Address: [Athlete Address]

Licencia federativa (deportista) / Federation Licence (Athlete): [Athlete Licence]

2. RÉGIMEN LABORAL ESPECIAL / SPECIAL EMPLOYMENT REGIME

Este contrato establece una relación laboral de carácter especial conforme al Real Decreto 1006/1985, de 26 de junio, por el que el deportista (deportista profesional) se compromete a practicar actividades deportivas — [Sport] — por cuenta del club, bajo la organización y dirección del club, a cambio de remuneración. / This contract establishes a special employment relationship (relación laboral de carácter especial) under Real Decreto 1006/1985, de 26 de junio, by which the athlete agrees to engage in sports activities — [Sport] — on behalf of the club, under the club's organisation and management, in exchange for remuneration. Las disposiciones del Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015) se aplican de forma supletoria donde el RD 1006/1985 no disponga otra cosa. / The provisions of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015) apply supplementarily where RD 1006/1985 does not otherwise provide. El contrato deberá comunicarse al Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) en los 10 días siguientes a su formalización y una copia enviada a la federación deportiva correspondiente, conforme al artículo 3 del RD 1006/1985. / The contract shall be registered with the SEPE within 10 days of execution and a copy filed with the relevant federación deportiva, pursuant to RD 1006/1985 Article 3.

3. CONDICIONES DEPORTIVAS / SPORTING TERMS

Deporte / Sport: [Sport]

Competición(es) / Competition(s): [Competition]

Demarcación / Playing Position: [Position]

Categoría profesional / Professional Category: [Category]

4. DURACIÓN DEL CONTRATO / DURATION OF CONTRACT

Fecha de inicio / Start Date: [Start Date]

Fecha de fin / End Date: [End Date]

Opción de renovación / Renewal Option: [Renewal Option]

Este contrato se celebra como contrato de duración determinada conforme al artículo 6 del RD 1006/1985 — la duración determinada es la norma en los contratos deportivos profesionales, apartándose de la presunción de contrato indefinido del artículo 15 del ET. / This contract is concluded as a fixed-term contract (contrato de duración determinada) under RD 1006/1985 Article 6. La conversión automática en contrato indefinido no se producirá salvo acuerdo expreso por escrito de las partes. / Automatic conversion to an indefinite contract shall not occur unless the parties expressly agree in writing.

5. REMUNERACIÓN / REMUNERATION

Salario bruto anual / Gross Annual Salary: [Annual Salary]

Pagas extraordinarias / Salary Payments: [Extra Payments]

Prima de fichaje / Signing-on Bonus: [Signing Bonus]

Primas de rendimiento / Performance Bonuses: [Performance Bonuses]

El club practicará retención del IRPF al tipo aplicable sobre todos los pagos de remuneración conforme a la Ley 35/2006 del IRPF y lo comunicará a la Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria (AEAT) mediante el Modelo 111 (mensual/trimestral) y el Modelo 190 (resumen anual). / The club shall withhold IRPF at the applicable rate on all remuneration payments under Ley 35/2006 del IRPF and report to the AEAT via Modelo 111 and Modelo 190.

6. DERECHOS DE IMAGEN / IMAGE RIGHTS

Acuerdo sobre derechos de imagen / Image Rights Arrangement: [Image Rights]

Los derechos de imagen del deportista están protegidos bajo la Ley Orgánica 1/1982, de 5 de mayo, de protección civil del derecho al honor, a la intimidad personal y familiar y a la propia imagen. / The athlete's image rights are protected under Ley Orgánica 1/1982. Cualquier explotación comercial de la imagen del deportista por el club requiere el consentimiento expreso del deportista conforme a la LO 1/1982. / Any commercial exploitation of the athlete's image by the club requires the athlete's express consent under LO 1/1982. Cuando el club adquiera derechos de imagen, las condiciones se establecerán en un contrato de cesión de derechos de imagen separado conforme a los criterios de la Dirección General de Tributos del artículo 92 de la LIRPF. / Where the club acquires image rights, the terms shall be set out in a separate contrato de cesión de derechos de imagen complying with LIRPF Article 92 criteria.

7. CLÁUSULA DE RESCISIÓN / BUYOUT CLAUSE

Importe de la cláusula de rescisión / Buyout Clause Amount: [Buyout Clause]

Conforme al artículo 16 del Real Decreto 1006/1985, el deportista puede resolver unilateralmente este contrato antes de su vencimiento natural abonando al club el importe de la cláusula de rescisión indicado. / Pursuant to Real Decreto 1006/1985 Article 16, the athlete may unilaterally terminate this contract before its natural expiry by paying the club the above buyout amount. Esta cláusula se inscribe en el SEPE y en la federación deportiva correspondiente. / This clause is registered with the SEPE and the relevant federación deportiva.

8. OBLIGACIONES DEL DEPORTISTA / ATHLETE'S OBLIGATIONS

El deportista se compromete a:

(a) Asistir a todos los entrenamientos y competiciones programados por los técnicos del club; / Attend all training sessions and competitions scheduled by the club's technical staff;

(b) Cumplir los protocolos médicos, nutricionales y de recuperación prescritos por los servicios médicos del club; / Comply with medical, nutritional, and recovery protocols prescribed by the club's medical services;

(c) Abstenerse de participar en otras actividades deportivas sin el consentimiento escrito del club (exclusividad deportiva); / Refrain from participation in other sports activities without the club's written consent (exclusividad deportiva);

(d) Cumplir toda la normativa antidopaje conforme al Real Decreto 641/2009 y la Agencia Española de Protección de la Salud en el Deporte (AEPSAD), incluida la sumisión a controles de dopaje y la comunicación exacta de su localización; / Comply with all anti-doping regulations under Real Decreto 641/2009 and AEPSAD, including submission to doping controls and accurate whereabouts reporting;

(e) Cumplir el régimen disciplinario del club, el convenio colectivo del deporte profesional aplicable y los códigos disciplinarios de la federación deportiva correspondiente. / Comply with the disciplinary regulations of the club, the applicable convenio colectivo del deporte profesional, and the disciplinary codes of the relevant federación deportiva.

9. SEGURIDAD SOCIAL / SOCIAL SECURITY

El club inscribirá al deportista en la Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) en el Régimen General de la Seguridad Social, conforme al Real Decreto 287/2003, antes del primer día de actividad. / The club shall register the athlete with the TGSS under the Régimen General de la Seguridad Social, pursuant to Real Decreto 287/2003, before the first day of activity. El club abonará mensualmente las cuotas empresariales de la Seguridad Social sobre la remuneración total del deportista. / The club shall pay monthly employer social security contributions on the athlete's full remuneration. El club también mantendrá el seguro obligatorio de accidentes deportivos (seguro de accidentes deportivos) que cubra lesiones producidas en entrenamiento y competición, conforme a la normativa de la federación deportiva correspondiente. / The club shall also maintain mandatory sports accident insurance covering training and competition injuries.

10. EXTINCIÓN DEL CONTRATO / TERMINATION

Las causas de rescisión por justa causa (justa causa) por cualquiera de las partes se establecen en los artículos 13 y 14 del RD 1006/1985 y en el convenio colectivo del deporte profesional aplicable. / Grounds for termination for just cause by either party are established by RD 1006/1985 Articles 13 and 14 and the applicable convenio colectivo del deporte profesional. La rescisión sin justa causa por el club faculta al deportista a percibir el salario y los beneficios por el período restante del contrato o una indemnización acordada conforme al artículo 16 del RD 1006/1985. / Termination without just cause by the club entitles the athlete to salary and benefits for the remainder of the contract period or an agreed lump sum compensation under Article 16 RD 1006/1985. Las controversias laborales se someten a conciliación obligatoria ante el SMAC y posteriormente al Juzgado de lo Social. / Labour disputes are submitted to mandatory conciliation before the SMAC and thereafter to the Juzgado de lo Social.

11. LEY APLICABLE Y JURISDICCIÓN / GOVERNING LAW AND JURISDICTION

Este contrato se rige por el derecho español, principalmente el Real Decreto 1006/1985 (régimen laboral especial de los deportistas profesionales), el Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015) como derecho supletorio, la Ley Orgánica 3/2022 (LOIFDE) y el reglamento de la federación deportiva española correspondiente. / This contract is governed by Spanish law, principally Real Decreto 1006/1985, the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015), the Ley Orgánica 3/2022 (LOIFDE), and the regulations of the relevant federación deportiva española. Las controversias laborales se someterán al Juzgado de lo Social de la ciudad donde radique el domicilio social del club, tras la conciliación obligatoria ante el SMAC. / Labour disputes shall be submitted to the Juzgado de lo Social of the city where the club's registered office is located, after mandatory SMAC conciliation.

FIRMAS / SIGNATURES

Firmado en [Contract City], a [Contract Date]. / Signed in [Contract City], on [Contract Date].

CLUB O ENTIDAD DEPORTIVA / SPORTS CLUB / ENTITY:

[Club Name]

Representado por / Represented by: [Club Representative]

Firma / Signature: _________________________ Fecha / Date: _________________________

DEPORTISTA PROFESIONAL / PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE:

[Athlete Name]

Firma / Signature: _________________________ Fecha / Date: _________________________

Yo, [Athlete Name], confirmo haber recibido copia firmada de este contrato y reconozco que ha sido comunicado a la federación deportiva española correspondiente. / I, [Athlete Name], confirm receipt of a signed copy of this contract and acknowledge that it has been communicated to the relevant federación deportiva española.

Sports Club / Legal Representative

________________

Signature

Professional Athlete

________________

Signature

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What Is a Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato Deportivo Profesional)?

A Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato de Deportista Profesional) is a special employment contract (relación laboral especial) between a professional athlete (deportista profesional) and a sports club or entity (club o entidad deportiva) in Spain, governed principally by Real Decreto 1006/1985, de 26 de junio, which establishes the special labour regime for professional sportspersons, and supplemented by the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (RDL 2/2015) where the special regime does not provide otherwise. The professional sports contract constitutes one of the eight special employment relationships (relaciones laborales de carácter especial) recognised by Article 2 of the Estatuto de los Trabajadores, acknowledging that the nature of professional sport requires rules different from the general employment framework.

Real Decreto 1006/1985 Article 1 defines the professional sportsperson as a natural person who engages in sports activities voluntarily for a club or sports entity in exchange for remuneration, within the scope of organisation and management of that entity, and in a dependent relationship with it. Article 3 requires that the contract be concluded in writing (por escrito) and registered with the Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) within 10 days of execution, with a copy filed with the sports federation (federación deportiva) of the relevant sport. The contract must specify the sport practiced, the professional category, the agreed duration, the salary, and any signing-on bonus (prima de fichaje).

The Ley del Deporte (Ley 10/1990, de 15 de octubre, superseded by the new Ley Orgánica 3/2022, de 21 de marzo, de ordenación e integración de la actividad física y del deporte — LOIFDE) regulates Spanish sports federations (federaciones deportivas españolas), professional leagues (ligas profesionales), and sports clubs with legal personality (clubs deportivos y sociedades anónimas deportivas). Professional sports clubs operating in national professional leagues — La Liga (football), Liga ACB (basketball), Liga ASOBAL (handball) — must be constituted as Sociedades Anónimas Deportivas (SAD) under Real Decreto 1084/1991 or demonstrate financial solvency through an annual guarantee deposit administered by the Consejo Superior de Deportes.

Image rights (derechos de imagen) are a commercially critical element of professional sports contracts in Spain. The Ley Orgánica 1/1982, de 5 de mayo, de protección civil del derecho al honor, a la intimidad personal y familiar y a la propia imagen protects the athlete's right to their own image. Article 7.6 LO 1/1982 identifies unauthorised commercial use of a person's image as an intrusion (intromisión ilegítima). Sports clubs in Spain typically negotiate a separate agreement for image rights (contrato de cesión de derechos de imagen) alongside the employment contract — a practice endorsed by the Tribunal Supremo and the Dirección General de Tributos, which treats image rights remuneration as a separate category of income subject to different fiscal treatment under Ley 35/2006 del IRPF.

The fiscal treatment of professional athletes in Spain is complex. Under Ley 35/2006 del IRPF, sports income is classified as rendimientos del trabajo (employment income) subject to IRPF withholding by the club. The ley Beckham (real Decreto 687/2005, modified by subsequent legislation and now governed by the régimen especial de impatriados under Article 93 LIRPF as reformed by Ley 22/2021) provides a special regime for certain athletes becoming Spanish tax residents — allowing them to elect to be taxed at the non-resident flat rate of 24% on Spanish-source income up to €600,000, rather than the progressive IRPF scale.

Transfer fees (traspasos) in professional football are regulated by the rules of La Liga (Real Federación Española de Fútbol — RFEF), UEFA, and FIFA — the buyout clause (cláusula de rescisión) established in the employment contract under RD 1006/1985 Article 16 is the mechanism by which a player can unilaterally terminate the contract by paying the agreed compensation to the club. The buyout clause must be stated in the contract, registered with the RFEF, and its amount is typically set significantly above market value to protect the club's sporting interest.

When Do You Need a Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato Deportivo Profesional)?

A Professional Sports Contract Spain is required whenever a sports club, sports entity, or society (including a Sociedad Anónima Deportiva) formally engages a professional athlete to participate in organised sports competitions in exchange for remuneration.

The Contrato de Deportista Profesional is required when a football club signs a player — whether from a domestic club, a foreign club, or directly from a youth academy — to participate in Liga Santander (Primera División), Liga SmartBank (Segunda División), Segunda RFEF, or other professional or semi-professional competitions governed by federación deportiva española rules.

A Professional Sports Contract is needed when a basketball club affiliated with the Liga ACB, a handball club in the Liga ASOBAL, a volleyball club, a cycling team, or any other professional sports entity hires an athlete for competition and training, as the RD 1006/1985 special regime applies to all professional sports disciplines, not only football.

The contract is required whenever a club pays an athlete a regular salary or remuneration for their sports services — the key criterion under RD 1006/1985 Article 1 is regularity and dependency, not the specific amount or sport. Even a semi-professional athlete receiving regular compensation within an organised club structure may qualify as a deportista profesional for legal purposes.

A Professional Sports Contract Spain is needed when a foreign athlete obtains a work permit (autorización de trabajo) in Spain — non-EU athletes require a specific sports work authorisation under Ley Orgánica 4/2000 de Extranjería and Real Decreto 557/2011. The signed employment contract is a mandatory document for the work permit application filed with the Subdelegación del Gobierno.

The contract is necessary when a club finances a player signing through a sports loan (cesión temporal) from another club — the cedente (loaning club) and the cesionario (receiving club) must both execute contracts with the athlete, and the loan terms must be registered with the relevant federación deportiva.

A Professional Sports Contract is also required when a club wishes to include a buyout clause (cláusula de rescisión) under RD 1006/1985 Article 16 — the clause must be incorporated into the written employment contract and registered with the SEPE and the federación deportiva to be enforceable against third clubs seeking to sign the athlete.

Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011).

What to Include in Your Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato Deportivo Profesional)

A valid Professional Sports Contract Spain under Real Decreto 1006/1985 must contain the following essential elements to satisfy registration requirements and to protect both the club and the athlete.

Identification of Parties: Full legal name, DNI/NIE/NIF, and registered address of the sports club or entity (including SAD registration number, NIF, and licencia federativa number) and the athlete (including DNI/NIE for foreign athletes, nationality, date of birth, and sports federation registration number — licencia federativa). The athlete's sporting agent (agente deportivo) registered with the relevant federación deportiva under LOIFDE must be identified if involved in the negotiation.

Sport and Competition: The specific sport practiced and the professional competition(s) in which the athlete will participate — La Liga, Liga ACB, national team duties, European competition (Champions League, Europa League). The athlete's playing position (demarcación) and professional category (categoría profesional) as defined by the applicable collective bargaining agreement (convenio colectivo del deporte profesional) must be stated.

Duration of Contract: The start date and end date of the contract — RD 1006/1985 Article 6 permits fixed-term contracts (contratos de duración determinada) as the norm for professional sports contracts, unlike general employment where indefinite contracts are the default. Minimum duration is typically one sports season (temporada deportiva). Automatic renewal clauses (prórrogas automáticas) and performance-based extension options (opciones de renovación) linked to sports performance indicators must be clearly defined.

Salary and Bonuses: The fixed annual salary (salario fijo anual) in euros, the monthly payment schedule, pagas extraordinarias (bonus payments at Christmas and June), and any variable remuneration — appearance fees (primas de actuación), match bonuses (primas de partido), goals scored bonuses, assists bonuses, clean sheet bonuses, promotion/classification bonuses, and Champions League qualification bonuses. The signing-on bonus (prima de fichaje or ficha) paid upon contract execution should be separately stated.

Image Rights Arrangement: A clear statement of whether the athlete's image rights (derechos de imagen) are assigned to the club, retained by the athlete, or partially shared. If the club acquires image rights, the separate imagen rights agreement (contrato de cesión de derechos de imagen) under LO 1/1982 should be cross-referenced. The Dirección General de Tributos criteria for the fiscal treatment of image rights payments (typically subject to capital gains or non-employment income rules under IRPF) must be respected.

Buyout Clause (Cláusula de Rescisión): The agreed compensation amount that the athlete must pay to unilaterally terminate the contract under RD 1006/1985 Article 16 — this clause is mandatory in contracts registered with the RFEF for football players and common in other sports. The amount must be stated in euros and is typically set to protect the club's legitimate interest in maintaining the athlete for the contract duration.

Athletic Obligations: The athlete's obligations — participation in all training sessions and competitions scheduled by the club's technical staff, compliance with medical, nutritional, and recovery protocols, prohibition of participation in other sports activities without club consent (exclusividad deportiva), and compliance with anti-doping regulations under the Agencia Española de Protección de la Salud en el Deporte (AEPSAD) and the Real Decreto 641/2009.

Club Obligations: The club's obligations — payment of salary, provision of training facilities, equipment and medical assistance, travel arrangements for away competitions, compliance with occupational health obligations under Ley 31/1995 in the sports workplace, and registration of the athlete with the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) under the Régimen General.

Disciplinary Regime: Reference to the club's disciplinary regulations and the athletes' disciplinary regime under the applicable convenio colectivo del deporte profesional and federación deportiva disciplinary codes. Grounds for termination (justa causa) by either party — RD 1006/1985 Articles 13 and 14 — must be identified.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction: Spanish law governs, principally RD 1006/1985 and the Estatuto de los Trabajadores. Labour disputes are submitted to the Juzgado de lo Social of the city where the club's registered office is located, after mandatory SMAC conciliation. Sports disciplinary matters fall under the Comité de Competición and Comité de Apelación of the relevant federación deportiva.

Forms-legal.com provides this Professional Sports Contract Spain template as a practical starting point. Professional sports contracts involve complex tax, image rights, transfer, and federation compliance issues — both clubs and athletes should use qualified abogados specialising in derecho deportivo.

Under the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET) RDL 2/2015, Spanish employment law governs contracts, dismissals, and working conditions. The Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) administers social security contributions. The Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) manages unemployment benefits. The Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social enforces labour compliance. The Juzgados de lo Social hear employment disputes under the Ley Reguladora de la Jurisdicción Social (Ley 36/2011).

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@misc{formslegal-professional-sports-contract-spain,
  author       = {{Forms Legal}},
  title        = {Professional Sports Contract Spain (Contrato Deportivo Profesional) (Spain)},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/espana/employment/contracts/professional-sports-contract-spain}},
  note         = {Free legal document template}
}

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