FIFA committee backs prevention of domestic matches being played abroad

On Aug 26, 2020

FIFA deal a huge blow to Chelsea as they confirm new rules which will cut number of loans allowed of players aged 22 or over to just SIX (while the Blues currently have FOURTEEN at other clubs!)

The FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee held a meeting in Zurich on Thursday
They backed FIFA council plans to prevent domestic matches moving abroad
LaLiga have been desperately trying to hold a regular season game in the US
They will also cut the number of loans allowed of players aged 22 or over to six
It would be a blow for Chelsea who have 14 stars of this age bracket out on loan

Published: 11:47 EDT, 27 February 2020 | Updated: 14:34 EDT, 27 February 2020

A FIFA committee has proposed major changes to football’s loan system and the possibility of playing domestic matches abroad in a blow to LaLiga‘s plans to stage a game in the US.

FIFA announced on Thursday that its football stakeholders committee had endorsed new regulations which would place limits on the number of international loans permitted of players aged 22 and over.

They backed ‘a limit of eight international loans in and out as of the 2020/2021 season, going down to six in and out by the 2022/2023 season, with a maximum of three loans in and three loans out between the same clubs’.

A FIFA committee has proposed major changes to football’s loan system, in a bid to limit them

It will have ramifications for Europe’s leading clubs who, like Chelsea, loan several players out

This could have widespread ramifications on Europe’s elite clubs who send large numbers of players out on loan each transfer window.

Chelsea, who have been criticised in the past for the number of stars they cast aside each season, have 28 players temporarily at other clubs this season.

Fourteen of those players are aged over 22, including Danny Drinkwater, Victor Moses and Tiemoue Bakayoko.

The new regulations are intended to ‘ensure that (loans) have a valid sporting purpose for youth development’.

A period of three years would be set for member national associations to implement loan system rules in line with the principles established at international level.

Serie A club Atalanta currently have 55 players out on-loan with 37 aged 22 or over.

Tiemoue Bakayoko (L) is one of 14 players over 22 to be loaned out by the Blues this season

The decision to oppose domestic matches abroad comes as a bitter blow to LaLiga.

The Spanish top tier has long held ambitions of playing one regular season game in the US in a bid to raise the profile of the league and take it to new markets.

Miami has been touted as a possible destination but LaLiga’s plans have been met with concern and it is now in doubt after Thursday’s meeting in Zurich.

In a statement, the committee said: ‘The committee endorsed the principle set out by the FIFA Council that official domestic matches should take place on the territory of the member association concerned.

‘Regulations on this…