FIFA has relaxed its rules regarding player registration, in effect allowing foreign players to leave Ukrainian clubs immediately.
World football’s governing body has also added provisions for foreign players and coaches currently employed by clubs in Russia.
FIFA has described them as “ temporary rules addressing the exceptional situation deriving from the war in Ukraine”.
All contracts involving oversees players and coaches in Ukraine will be suspended until the end of the current season there (June 30).
Furthermore, players and coaches fleeing the war will be allowed to register with new clubs until April 7 of this year. Clubs will only be able to sign a maximum of two players under these conditions.
One of the clubs who will be hugely affected is Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk, who currently have twelve Brazilian players on their books, plus others from Israel and Burkina Faso.
Traditional giants Dynamo Kiev, meanwhile, is home to players from Poland, Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Regarding foreign players and coaches plying their trade in Russia, they’ll be able to request an arrangement with their particular club. If one is not forthcoming by March 10, then the players and coaches will have the right to unilaterally suspend their contracts with the Russian clubs.
Separately, it’s understood the Premier League and English Football League have begun the process of cancelling broadcast contracts in Russia.
Lawyers are believed to be looking into how they can stop games being shown in the country, following its invasion of Ukraine.
The top flight’s current deal is worth around 6-million pounds a year in broadcast revenues.
An announcement is expected in the next few days.
