A licence applicant may only be a football club, i.e. a legal entity fully and solely responsible for a football team participating in national and international club competitions which either:
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is a registered member of a UEFA member association and/or its affiliated league (hereinafter: registered member); or
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has a contractual relationship with a registered member (hereinafter: football company).
By the start of the licence season, the membership and/or the contractual relationship (if any) must have lasted for at least three consecutive seasons. Furthermore, the licence applicant must have participated in the official competitions for at least three consecutive seasons (hereinafter: three-year rule).
Any change to the legal form, legal group structure (including a merger with another entity or transfer of football activities to another entity) or identity (including headquarters, name or colours) of a licence applicant/licensee must be notified to the licensor and UEFA before the start of the licensing process.
Any change to the legal form, legal group structure (including a merger with another entity or transfer of football activities to another entity) or identity (including headquarters, name or colours) of a licence applicant/licensee that took place within the three seasons preceding the start of the licence season to the detriment of the integrity of a competition; or to facilitate the licence applicant’s qualification for a competition on sporting merit; or to facilitate the licence applicant receipt of a licence is deemed as an interruption of membership or contractual relationship (if any) within the meaning of this provision.
Exceptions to the three-year rule may be granted by the CFCB in accordance with Annex A.