RIYADH — The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has announced a significant policy change, allowing clubs to negotiate with players who are part of the national teams during national camps. This change represents a departure from previous practices and follows modifications to the regulations of the Professional Committee for Player Affairs. The aim of this adjustment, according to the federation, is to enable clubs to fully utilize the designated registration periods, which often overlap with the days when the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) organizes national team camps. In light of the current overlap between the ongoing summer registration window and the camp for the Saudi national team scheduled from Sept. 3 to 12 in Newcastle, this change becomes particularly relevant. Similarly, the winter registration period for the current season, starting on Jan. 1, 2024, and concluding on Jan. 30 of the same year, intersects with the Asian Cup for national teams, slated for Jan. 12 to Feb. 10, 2024. This means that clubs will have the ability to negotiate with players just 12 days before the commencement of the continental championship. As a result of this change, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's Board of Directors has opted to eliminate clauses in the regulations governing player professionalism and their transfers that previously prohibited direct negotiations with clubs during and after a player's inclusion in national teams. Paragraph 9, found in article 10, which stipulated no negotiations with clubs during and after a player's national team inclusion, has been removed. Paragraph 17 in article 11 of the regulations, which allowed the Professional Committee for Player Affairs to impose sanctions on clubs that signed players under certain conditions, has also been removed. The statement emphasizes that this decision aims to empower clubs to make the most of the designated registration periods, despite the overlap with FIFA's schedule and national team camps. Negotiations will be carried out in accordance with practical considerations, with player agents playing a crucial role in the process.
