World football governing body FIFA has granted the South African Football Association (SAFA) permission to extend the Premier Soccer League (PSL) season beyond 31 August. The permission provides PSL board with room to adjust the start and end dates of the 2020/21 campaign after the resumption of professional soccer in South Africa following the COVID-19 lockdown.
PSL Chairman, Dr Irvin Khoza and his team believe they will need six weeks to conclude the season and their request for clarity from FIFA also relates to the transfer window dates for FIFA’s Transfer Management System (TMS), the tool used to record and verify the international transfer of players.
FIFA communicated the decision to SAFA, who issued the following statement:
The world football governing body, FIFA, has written to the South African Football Association (SAFA) advising them that they can extend the completion of the current Premier Soccer League season in terms of the Transfer Management System (TMS).
In the same context, FIFA has given SAFA the mandate to amend the start of the PSL next season (2020/2021) and this may require the Association to amend the registration periods provided in the TMS.
Part of the letter from FIFA to SAFA reads: “As such, the association concerned should extend the end date of the of the ongoing season in the TMS, to reflect the match schedule. This may also require the association to amend the registration periods provided in the TMS.”
SAFA CEO, Tebogo Motlanthe said he was happy with the clarification provided by FIFA.
“We are glad about the clarification we got from FIFA and we have already started preparation of the referees. They will arrive at the camp in batches and I want to assure everyone that the match officials will be ready, come 1 August 2020 when the PSL kicks off,” said Motlanthe.
SAFA has also offered to cover the costs of the match officials’ accommodation, transportation and testing“, the statement read.
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