FIFA to allow foreign players in Russia to suspend team contracts

FIFA is set to allow foreign players in Russia to temporarily suspend their contracts in the wake of the country’s military action in Ukraine.

Krasnodar have already agreed to pause their contracts with all eight of their foreign players – the most notable of which include Remy Cabella and Grzegorz Krychowiak – to allow them to leave the country and train with other clubs.

Now, The New York Times note that agents and FIFPro have been appealing to FIFA to allow players to terminate their contracts with Russian sides, but the governing body have rejected such action and instead compromised with permission to suspend their contracts.

Foreign players will soon be granted permission to leave their Russian clubs, but only temporarily as they must return at the end of the European season on June 30.

FIFPro and the World Leagues Forum had written to FIFA to urge immediate action on the issue.

“These foreign players may rightfully consider that they are not willing to represent any longer a Russian team and should be able to immediately terminate their contract with their employer without facing any sanction whatsoever from international bodies and to be registered in a new club without being restricted by transfer period regulations,” the letter said.

FIFA, conscious of already breaking precedent by blocking Russia’s involvement in international competitions, did not want to create a legal storm that could have followed allowing players to terminate their contracts and have instead come up with this temporary compromise.