GENEVA, April 11  -- World soccer's governing body FIFA has received 6,586 applications from 138 member associations around the world for its inaugural football agent exam.

FIFA Tuesday said the exam, scheduled for April 19, is the first of its kind to take place after the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) went into force in January 2023.

"The introduction of the licensing system is a key component of the FFAR, as it raises the professional and ethical standards for the profession of football agents, thus leading to an increase in the quality of the service they provide to their clients across the football industry," FIFA said in a statement.

"The significant number of applications we have received confirms that many individuals across the world are looking forward to working within the new regulatory framework, which will ensure basic service standards for football agents and their clients through well-defined rules and increased certainty," FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Emilio Garcia Silvero was quoted as saying.

Additional exams have been scheduled for September 20, 2023, as well as for May and November 2024, according to FIFA.