FIFA sets out guidelines for extended football seasons
Football's ruling body FIFA has set out guidelines on players' contracts and transfer deadlines to enable league seasons to be extended beyond June as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. FIFA says players with contracts expiring on June 30 should be allowed to complete the season if it finishes at a later stage.
- Sports
- Reuters
- Published Date: 08:50 | 07 April 2020
- Modified Date: 08:50 | 07 April 2020
FIFA has recommended extending players' contracts which were due to end in June and said it will allow transfer windows to be moved to allow for extensions to the current European season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Tuesday.
The global soccer body also said it would encourage clubs and players "to work together to find agreements and solutions during the period when football is suspended" and the sport has to deal with an unprecedented loss of revenue.
The guidelines, reported by Reuters on Sunday, were endorsed by the FIFA Bureau -- a reduced version of its decision-making Council -- on Tuesday.
The coronavirus has brought football to a standstill around the world, with domestic leagues put on hold and major tournaments such as Euro 2020 and the Copa America, postponed until next year.
European soccer body UEFA has said that it wants the 2019-20 season to be brought to a conclusion on the pitch, even if that means extending it into August.