When duplicate records for a player exist in the Connect ID system, a merge process is used to consolidate them under a single, correct FIFA ID. Below are the key points to help you understand how primary and secondary FIFA IDs work after a merge:


What is a Primary FIFA ID?

  • The Primary FIFA ID is the identifier that will be kept for a given player after a merge.
  • In most cases, this is the FIFA ID that was created first.
  • This FIFA ID remains fully active and should be used for all operations involving the player.


What is a Secondary FIFA ID?

  • The Secondary FIFA ID refers to a duplicate record that has been merged into the primary one.
  • After a merge, the secondary ID is blocked from any further use in Connect ID and becomes inactive.
  • Any attempt to use a secondary ID in future operations will result in an error.


What Happens After a Merge in Connect ID?

  • An automated notification is sent to all systems (data holders) that were using the secondary FIFA ID.
  • These systems are expected to update their records and switch to the primary FIFA ID to ensure consistency across the ecosystem.
  • This synchronization is critical to maintaining data integrity and avoiding future duplication issues.


Can There Be More Than One Secondary FIFA ID?

  • Yes. In cases where multiple duplicate records exist for the same player, multiple secondary FIFA IDs may be merged into a single primary.
  • However, only one FIFA ID can be primary for any given player.


If you are interested in merges, you may also find the following resources interesting:
What to do if two or more records come up as potential duplicates?
Connect ID Notifications
Merging: how to decide which record is primary?
Merging rules explained