ISLAMABAD (Sports Desk): The FIFA Council today approved the formation of a working group to gather further information and issue recommendations to the Council regarding potential amendments to the FIFA Regulations Governing International Matches (FRGIM).
The working group will consist of 10 to 15 members from a variety of different football stakeholders, including representatives from member associations, confederations, clubs, leagues, players, supporter organisations, and also private entities engaged in organising international matches or competitions. The FIFA Council anticipates that the working group will make its recommendations in the following months.
The primary objective of the working group will be to study the FRGIM and the press release issued following the October 2018 FIFA Council meeting regarding out-of-territory matches (cf. art 8.2 of the FRGIM), and to consider a revised legal framework at FIFA level dealing with i) rules, procedures and processes for authorising interclub football matches or competitions, and ii) criteria to be applied for authorising such matches or competitions.
While the working group will independently formulate its own recommendations, the FIFA Council has requested that it base its proposals on the principles of transparency, objectivity, non-discrimination and proportionality, taking into account the following, non-exhaustive factors in making its recommendations:
Fairness, including adequacy of advance notice to fans who may miss the opportunity to attend a home or away match in the home territory. Whether adequate provision has been made for fans of the teams playing a proposed out-of-territory match to attend the match in the host country.
