PARIS, France (AFP) – FIFA yesterday relaxed the rules on the release of players for the upcoming international window “in light of the recent evolution of the coronavirus pandemic”.

Clubs are usually obliged to release players to national teams during those parts of the calendar reserved for international games. However quarantine rules in many countries will make travel impractical, FIFA said in a statement.

“Many national governments have again implemented travel and immigration restrictions due to a renewed increase in COVID-19 infections. Some of these measures directly impact international competition, such as mandatory periods of quarantine or self-isolation and travel restrictions,” the statement explained.

Clubs will not be obliged to release their players if there is a mandatory quarantine in the country where the club is based, in the country where the international game will take place or when there are travel restrictions between the two locations and there are no specific exemptions for the players.

The ruling applies to the men’s international window from August 31 to September 8 and the women’s window from September 14 to 22.

FiIFA had already decided that international matches in those slots could only take place in Europe.