FIFA won’t sanction Premier League clubs for withholding players for September international break

The Brazil national football team pushed FIFA to sanction clubs that decided to withhold players from traveling to South America this international window for the World Cup Qualifiers. However, it doesn’t seem as though that will occur.

According to Reuters (via UOL Esporte), FIFA will allow players from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Paraguay who play for Premier League clubs to take the pitch this weekend after those countries agreed to waive a restriction.

If they allowed their players to go, they would be subjected to mandatory quarantine, meaning they would be missing about two fixtures, which is why the Premier League clubs released a statement to withhold their players.

Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Manchester City were some clubs that did not release Brazilian players for the World Cup qualifiers this month, citing that the South American countries were on the UK’s red list regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Nonetheless, after extensive talks over the past 24 hours between FIFA and the federations involved, both parties struck a deal. As a result, the agreement paved for players to play for their team without the risk of sanctions coming down on the clubs.

Furthermore, FIFA, the Football Association of England, and the Premier League are working collectively to attain a solution with the UK government on quarantine restrictions for the October international window.