Latvia's Crackdown on Foreign Footballers Without Work Permits

Latvia’s State Border Guard has uncovered a string of work permit violations in professional football this summer, catching six foreign players turning out for a club without the legal right to work in the country.

According to information provided to the LETA agency and reported by LSM English, border officials opened fresh administrative proceedings in August against two players — a Japanese citizen and a Nigerian citizen — who were employed as professional footballers without the required permits.

The case does not stop with the dressing room. The Border Guard also launched proceedings against a member of the club’s board, accusing the official of employing players who did not hold valid work permits. That pulls club management directly into the legal spotlight, not just the athletes on the pitch.

The August actions followed a busy July.

That month, the State Border Guard initiated four more administrative cases involving two Japanese citizens and citizens of Tunisia and Brazil, all allegedly working as professional footballers in Latvia without proper documentation.

This is not an isolated spike. Last year, authorities held one athlete and two board members administratively liable for employment-related violations. The numbers have surged in 2024: 16 athletes and four board members have already been held liable for breaches in the field of employment.

Latvia’s message to clubs and players is blunt: the football may be professional, but so must the paperwork.