Fifa has also given permission for clubs to agree exceptional two-week contract extensions with Club World Cup players whose deals are due to expire on 30 June, such as Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, to allow them to complete the tournament.
Fifa has announced plans to open an interim transfer window at the end of this season for clubs competing in the tournament, to allow the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City to add to their squads and agree contract extensions with their current players before the tournament begins on 14 June.
Under the terms of Fifa’s exceptional transfer window any player can sign for a new club before the Club World Cup begins, but they cannot play for two different clubs in the competition.
One option under consideration by the Premier League is to open the transfer window at the start of June before closing it when the Club World Cup begins, and then opening again later in the month.
The inaugural Club World Cup is an unwanted addition to a crowded calendar for the Premier League, who are party to a legal action led by the World Leagues Association and international players’ union Fifpro against Fifa over an alleged lack of consultation.
