UEFA Allows Clubs To Register Two More Players For Europe

UEFA allows clubs to register two additional players for European competitions as a result of Russia-Ukraine crisis.

European football’s governing body has allowed players signed from Russian or Ukrainian clubs to be added

European clubs have been granted permission to register two more players – signed from Russian or Ukrainian clubs – to their squads for UEFA competitions.

The governing body announced the new regulations on Monday, setting a deadline of April 1 for new players to be registered.

The change comes after FIFA suspended the contracts of foreign players at Ukrainian and Russian clubs for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

What has been said?

Any players snapped up by other teams across Europe can now be added to Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League squads.

A statement on the organization’s website read: “The UEFA Executive Committee today decided to amend the regulations of the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League, 2021/22 UEFA Europa League and 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League regulations, and to allow clubs to register a maximum of two new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competitions by 1 April 2022 (24:00 CET) at the latest.

“Furthermore, the UEFA Executive Committee approved similar amendments to the 2021/22 UEFA Women’s Champions League regulations, to allow clubs to register a maximum of two new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition by 7 April 2022 (24:00 CET) at the latest, in line with the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfers of Players.”

The statement continued: “In this regard, the UEFA Executive Committee decided to include a provision permitting clubs to register a maximum of two additional players, which were previously registered with a club affiliated to the UAF or the FUR and whose contracts have been suspended in accordance with Annex 7 of the FIFA RSTP.

“To be eligible to participate in the abovementioned UEFA competitions, any such new player shall, among others, be duly registered with the national association as playing for the club concerned in accordance with the associations’ own rules and those of FIFA.”

Why has the decision been made?

The changes to the regulations come in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As well as the suspension of foreign players’ contracts, Russian clubs have been banished from UEFA competitions, while the national team has been suspended by FIFA.

The country appealed against the suspension from the 2022 World Cup qualifying play-offs this month, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected their plea.