FIFA has introduced interim transfer rules to help players switch teams ahead of the Club World Cup in the U.S. next June and July.
Announced Thursday, the move allows players with contracts expiring on June 30 to sign early as free agents with one of the 32 teams qualified for the revamped tournament, including powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain.
High-profile potential free agents, such as Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk, along with Lille’s Jonathan David and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, could be targeted by Club World Cup contenders.
FIFA’s council approved special transfer market rules, enabling member associations to open an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10. These changes allow players to join new clubs for two weeks from mid-June, even before their current contracts officially end, as the tournament remains part of the ongoing season.
Had the Club World Cup been scheduled this year, Kylian Mbappe’s pending free agency on June 30 would have complicated his participation as a PSG or Real Madrid player.
FIFA’s plan to assist with player availability could also allow those with expiring contracts to sign a two-week extension through the end of the June 15-July 13 event.
Star players at Club World Cup teams with contracts expiring in June include Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Bayern Munich teammates Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich.
FIFA suggested short-term extensions could be "an appropriate solution" to allow players to take part, while also offering a June 27-July 3 window for teams to adjust their tournament squad lists and replace players whose contracts expire without renewal.
Players cannot represent two different teams during the tournament, which will be staged in 12 stadiums.
FIFA also agreed to an exemption from the long-standing rule that clubs must release players for national duty during official international match dates. This affects U.S. and Mexico players who might have been called up for the Gold Cup, also being played in the U.S. from June 14-July 6.
The Club World Cup lineup includes the Seattle Sounders, Leon, Monterrey, and Pachuca as the past four champions of the CONCACAF region.
One more spot remains open for an MLS team to represent the host nation. It is unclear if that place could go to Lionel Messi's club, Inter Miami.
FIFA previously amended transfer market rules in 2020 when the soccer shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic extended the traditional season from June into August.
In one notable transfer four years ago, Germany forward Timo Werner declined an option to stay with Leipzig and resume in the Champions League knockout rounds in August. Instead, he moved to Chelsea on schedule but was unable to play until the next season.