Paraguayan Players Demand Repeal of the 'Ocampo Law'

The Paraguayan Footballers’ Association (FAP) has strongly opposed the preservation of Article 25 of Law 5,322/2014, known as the “Ocampo Law”, named after author and Tacuary Football Club president Francisco Ocampo. The union argues that this provision undermines the rights of professional footballers by restricting compensation when a club breaches a contract.

Article 25 stipulates that if a contract is terminated due to the club’s fault, the player is only entitled to the wages remaining for that same calendar year. For FAP, this creates an unfair framework compared to international standards, since it overlooks key factors such as the remaining duration of the contract, bonuses, signing fees, and the difficulty of finding another club quickly. The union points out that FIFA regulations provide broader and fairer criteria in cases of breach.

Although the law is currently under revision, the controversial article has not been modified. The reforms focus instead on other issues, such as making written contracts mandatory for all players regardless of category, and formally defining “professional” status as anyone under contract earning at least the legal minimum wage. These changes aim to align Paraguayan regulations with international standards, ensuring transparency and minimum safeguards.

Nevertheless, players insist that as long as Article 25 remains intact, an imbalance persists that leaves them vulnerable when clubs default. The FAP announced it will continue pressing for a comprehensive reform that fully acknowledges footballers as workers under conditions consistent with global norms.