A release clause is a provision in a contract that allows one party to be freed from certain obligations or liabilities under certain conditions. In football, a release clause is also known as a buy-out clause and is a set fee that a buying club can pay a selling club to contractually oblige them to offload a player or a coach. The fee is set while the contract is signed and can be revised at a later date upon the consent of both club and player/coach. The aim of this clause is twofold; firstly, with its high amount, competing teams are discouraged from attempting to acquire the player if the current club shows no signs of selling them, and secondly, it raises any hint to the players not to go through with their contractual commitment.

In Spain, buyout clauses have been mandatory in football contracts since 1985. If a player wishes to rescind their contract, they are required to pay the buyout fee to their current club personally (via the league body), which would be advanced to them by the club signing them. However, it is not compulsory to have a release clause in a player/coachs contract, and it is entirely upon the player/coach and the club involved if they want to insert a release clause or not.

In real estate law, a release clause refers to a provision releasing a creditor from a portion of a collateral claim on real property. This can give the mortgagor full rights to a portion of the property after a specified period of time.