FIFA will allow leagues to open their transfer windows before the current, delayed season has been completed as football recovers from the impact of the lengthy coronavirus shutdown, the game’s world governing body announced on Thursday. Most notably, these include allowing the “first registration period” — better known in Europe as the summer transfer window — to “overlap” with the delayed end to this season by up to four weeks. However, while transfers will be permitted before this season ends, clubs will not be able to field new signings until the next season begins. The transfer window can stay open for up to 12 weeks. In France, where the season was declared over in late April at the height of the pandemic, the domestic transfer window opened on Monday.

Source: Punch June 11, 2020 18:45 UTC