FIFA extends and adapts temporary employment rules to address issues relating to war in Ukraine

TO THE MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS OF FIFA

Circular no. 1849

Zurich

Further regulatory amendments to Annexe 7 to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players to continue addressing the exceptional situation deriving from the war in Ukraine

Dear Sir or Madam,

As a consequence of the war in Ukraine, on 7 and 16 March 2022, the Bureau of the Council decided to temporarily amend the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) to provide urgent legal certainty and clarity on a number of important regulatory matters.

The decisions of the Bureau of the Council, communicated via circulars no. 1787 and 1788, set out the regulatory principles in the form of a temporary annexe to the RSTP (Annexe 7) entitled: Temporary rules addressing the exceptional situation deriving from the war in Ukraine.

Subsequently, on 20 June 2022, the Bureau of the Council decided to extend the temporary amendments to Annexe 7 to the RSTP until 30 June 2023, with minor modifications.

The decision was communicated via circular no. 1800, dated 22 June 2022.

The ongoing situation with the war in Ukraine has resulted in the need to further clarify the application of Annexe 7 to the RSTP, in particular its possible application beyond 30 June 2023.

Accordingly, on 21 May 2023, the Bureau of the Council approved further temporary amendments to Annexe 7 to the RSTP.

The following paragraphs briefly set out the relevant amendments:

Further temporary measures concerning employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with clubs affiliated to the UAF and FUR

The recent amendments to the regulatory framework entail the temporary extension of one of the key measures of Annexe 7 to the RSTP, namely the right for foreign players and coaches who have left the territory of Ukraine or Russia due to the conflict and might not 2 wish to currently return in view of the situation, to unilaterally suspend their contracts with clubs affiliated to the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) and the Football Union of Russia (FUR) until 30 June 2024.

With the aim of ensuring that players and coaches exercise their right to suspend their employment contracts in a clear and timely manner, the player or coach would need to inform the club of the unilateral suspension in writing by 1 July 2023 in order to validly suspend the employment contract.

Limitations on the scope of application of Annexe 7 to the RSTP

Certain limitations on the scope of application of Annexe 7 to the RSTP have been introduced. The underlying rationale is that players and coaches who have, despite the escalation of the war in Ukraine, decided to stay in Ukraine or Russia, start employment in Ukraine or Russia or return to one of those countries in the meantime, cannot rely on Annexe 7 to suspend an ongoing contract. Therefore, Annexe 7 does not apply to:

• foreign players who, at the time this annexe enters into force and thereafter, are registered with a club affiliated to the UAF or FUR;
• foreign coaches who, at the time this annexe enters into force and thereafter, render their services to a club affiliated to the UAF or FUR; and
• employment contracts of an international dimension of players or coaches that have been concluded or extended after 7 March 2022.
Clarifications on the provisions on training compensation

It has been clarified that, given the circumstances, no training compensation will be payable by the new club for a player being registered for the first time as a professional if:

• the player is registered with a club not affiliated to the UAF or FUR, after having left the territory of Ukraine or Russia subsequently to 7 March 2022 and was allowed to be registered with a new club under the exception provided in article 19 paragraph 2 a) or d) of the RSTP; or 3
• the player left the territory of Ukraine or Russia subsequently to 7 March 2022 and now wishes to be registered for the first time as a professional with a club affiliated to the UAF or FUR.
Further limitations

To prevent abuses, certain limitations in relation to the international transfer of players have been introduced to Annexe 7 to the RSTP. In this regard, players whose contracts have been suspended on the basis of Annexe 7 will not be able, during the period of suspension:

• to be subject to a transfer (whether permanent or on loan) against payment; and
• to sign a new contract with another club affiliated to the UAF or FUR. Entry into force of the amendments to the RSTP The aforementioned amendments to Annexe 7 to the RSTP entered into force with immediate effect on 21 May 2023.

Further regulatory amendments that may become necessary as a result of the war in Ukraine will be periodically assessed by the FIFA Council.

*****

The revised edition of the RSTP and an updated interpretative note to Annexe 7 to the RSTP are available on legal.fifa.com.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions in this regard.

We thank you for taking note of the above and for informing your affiliated clubs accordingly.

Yours faithfully,

FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE

DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Fatma Samoura

Secretary General

Cc: - FIFA Council

- Confederations

- ECA

- FIFPRO

- World Leagues Forum

Monday, 22 May 2023