Foreign players are free to leave Russian and Ukrainian clubs

The repercussions of the tragic Russian invasion in Ukraine have also arrived in the world of soccer, which in the last decade had been one of the ways through which the nation had opened up to the western world. The successes of Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Kiev now seem like distant memories while now those same cities are the scene of war and the championship has obviously been suspended. For this reason, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided "in coordination with UEFA and after consultation with various interested parties, to temporarily modify the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) in order to provide legal certainty and clarity on a number of issues". 

New temporary rules have been established for players under contract with Ukrainian or Russian clubs, which will protect both athletes and clubs at a time of great difficulty and uncertainty. In Ukraine, in order to provide players and coaches with the opportunity to work and receive a salary and to protect Ukrainian clubs, unless the parties to the contract in question agree otherwise, all employment contracts of foreign players and coaches with clubs affiliated with the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) will be deemed to be automatically suspended until the end of the season in Ukraine (June 30, 2022), with no action required by the parties in this regard.

While in Russia, foreign players and coaches who do not reach a mutual agreement with their respective clubs before or by March 10, 2022, and unless otherwise agreed upon in writing, will have the right to unilaterally suspend their employment relationship with the relevant FUR-affiliated clubs until the end of the season in Russia, also June 30. 

In addition, to provide further flexibility in exit all athletes who are registered with Ukrainian and Russian clubs who want to or have already left the country will be considered without a contract and therefore free to sign with a new team despite the fact that the market window is already over. To further protect the integrity of the competitions, clubs have the right to sign a maximum of two players by April 7, 2022 who have benefited from this particular legislation.