The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has extended the validity of rules allowing foreign players and coaches in Ukraine to suspend their employment contracts until June 30, 2023.

The FIFA Executive Committee decided to extend the validity of temporary work permit regulations established under the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) with the aim of effectively assisting players, clubs, and coaches affected by the war in Ukraine.

This decision was adopted after the Bureau of the FIFA Council approved changes to the RSTP on March 7 and 16, 2022, providing immediate legal certainty and clarity regarding a number of important regulatory issues.

According to the approved provisions of the RSTP, if clubs affiliated with the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF) and the Russian Football Union (RFU) do not reach mutual agreement with their foreign players and coaches by or on June 30, 2022, and unless otherwise agreed in writing, these players and coaches will have the right to suspend their employment contracts with their clubs until June 30, 2023.

These provisions give players and coaches the opportunity to train, play, and receive salaries while protecting Ukrainian clubs and facilitating the departure of foreign players and coaches from Russia.

Furthermore, regarding the protection of minors, it has been clarified that minors who have left Ukraine with their parents for other countries due to armed conflict are considered to have met the requirements of Article 19(2a) RSTP, thereby exempting them from the rule prohibiting international transfers of players under the age of 18.

FIFA will continue to closely monitor the situation in Ukraine to ensure that regulatory frameworks are adapted accordingly to any new developments. FIFA also continues to condemn Russia's use of force in Ukraine and calls for a swift end to the war and return to peace.