FIFA will allow footballers to register with a maximum of three clubs and play official matches in all three in the same season within the regulatory amendments temporarily approved by its Council as a result of COVID-19.
According to the guide published this Thursday, the amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Player Statute Commission and the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber allow this option of registration in an exceptional way to “avoid problems related to unemployed soccer players”.
Flexibility to the Federations for their transfer schedule
The changes also offer flexibility for member federations to plan their calendar and those whose seasons are contested in two different years may start the first registration period of the 2020/2021 season before the end of the 2019/20 season, provided that certain conditions are met. terms.
The objective of this measure is also “to give priority to the clubs ending the 2019/20 season with their original squad”.
Disputes between players or clubs
Likewise, and in order to “mitigate the economic impact for the parties involved in disputes before FIFA, in the case of claims filed between June 10 and December 31, 2020 (both days included), the advance payment of costs and procedural costs will not apply. “
The new regulation establishes that in the case of the claims filed before June 10, 2020 on which a decision has not yet been issued, the maximum amount of the legal costs will be equivalent to any advance payment of the costs that have been paid.
Explanatory meetings
FIFA pointed out that since the publication on April 7 of the recommendations and guidelines on some of the regulatory issues related to football that arose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has held 13 seminars with more than 350 representatives of the federations member (FM), the confederations, the World League Forum (WLF) and the Association of European Clubs (ECA).
This consultation process has allowed us to detect which are the most frequently asked questions, as well as several new problems, both regulatory and legal.
Transitional measures after the debate
After their debate in the working group in charge of this matter, chaired by the president of CONCACAF, the Canadian Vittorio Montagliani, and made up of representatives of the federations, confederations, FIFPRO, ECA and WLF, the FIFA Council Bureau approved today these transitional measures.
The FAQ document published by FIFA focuses mainly on issues related to the expiration of employment contracts (valid until the end of the current season) and new contracts (those already signed and beginning at the beginning of the next season), as well as the registration periods and contracts that, due to COVID-19, cannot be fulfilled as the parties had anticipated.