This archive report was first published on 4 October 2021.
On October 3, 2021, FIFA welcomed a relaxation of quarantine regulations in the UK, allowing Premier League players to travel to represent their nations in countries on the UK's red-list for travel.
Previously, a number of South American and African stars were not released by their clubs for the September international break as they would have had to spend 10 days quarantining in a government-mandated hotel on their return to England.
However, the exemption only applies to fully vaccinated players, who will still be forced to stay in a hotel or private accommodation provided by the club for 10 days.
Despite the criticism from clubs, FIFA has praised the UK government's decision, stating that it is a 'much more desirable solution' to the situation that players faced in September.
However, the bespoke solution has been criticized by clubs for the mental impact it can have on players, who face spending up to three weeks without their families.
“FIFA welcomes the UK government's decision to allow fully vaccinated players the opportunity to represent their countries in the upcoming qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup and return from a red-list country to bespoke quarantine conditions,” FIFA said in a statement.
Players also risk not being able to travel if they have not been fully vaccinated, and FIFA has acknowledged that this decision does not help every player.
