FIFA allows players to be registered in a maximum of three clubs in the same season

The FIFA It will allow footballers to enroll in a maximum of three clubs and play official matches in all three 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 Rules of Procedure of the Player Statute Commission and the Dispute Resolution Chamber of the FIFA They allow this option of registration in an exceptional way to “avoid problems related to unemployed soccer players”.

The changes also offer flexibility for member federations to plan their calendar and those whose seasons span two years. Different 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.

The objective of this measure is also “to give priority to the clubs exterminating the 2019/20 season with their original squad.”

Likewise, and to “mitigate the economic impact for the parties involved in disputes before FIFA, in the case of lawsuits filed between June 10 and December 31, 2020 (both days included) advance payment of costs will not be required nor will procedural costs be applied. “

The new regulation establishes that in the case of lawsuits 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 of the costs that have been paid.

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 Leagues 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.

After his debate in the working group in charge of this matter, chaired by the president of the CONCACAF, the Canadian Vittorio Montagliani, and integrate representatives of federations, confederations, FIFPRO, ECA and WLF, the FIFA Council Bureau today approved these transitional measures.

The frequently asked questions document published by the FIFA mainly focuses on Matters related to the expiration of labor contracts (valid until the end of the current season) and to the 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.