Global Soccer Federation Introduces Temporary Transfer Rules for Upcoming Tournament
In a move to facilitate player movement, the global soccer governing body has established interim transfer rules for the highly anticipated club tournament set to take place in the United States next June-July. This decision opens the door for players with contracts expiring on June 30 to sign with one of the 32 participating teams as free agents.
Several top players, including Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk, as well as Lille’s Jonathan David and Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min, could be pursued by teams competing in the tournament. The participating teams include powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.
The governing body’s council has approved temporary transfer market rules, allowing member federations to open an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10. This enables players to represent a new team for two weeks from mid-June, before their formal contract expires, in a tournament that is technically still part of the current season.
Additionally, players with expiring contracts may opt to sign a two-week extension through to the end of the June 15-July 13 event. This move aims to ensure that top talent is available for the tournament, which will be held in 12 stadiums across the United States.
Notably, star players like Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich, who have contracts expiring in June, could be affected by these new rules. However, players cannot represent two different teams during the tournament.
In another significant development, the governing body has granted an exemption to the long-standing rule requiring clubs to release players for national duty during protected international match dates. This exemption will affect United States and Mexico players who might have been called up for the 2025 Gold Cup, which is scheduled to take place concurrently with the club tournament.
The tournament lineup features Seattle Sounders, Leon, Monterrey, and Pachuca as the past four champions of the Concacaf region, with one more spot reserved for an MLS team to represent the host nation. This move marks a significant shift in the global soccer landscape, as teams and players prepare for the highly anticipated tournament.
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