FIFA, in consultation with UEFA, decides that clubs do not have to release players for Nations League matches in September if there is a mandatory period of quarantine or self-isolation of at least five days:

- where the game is being played
- where the player's club is
(cont)

England play in Iceland on Sept 9, and there is a mandatory period of self-isolation of five days upon arrival in Iceland.

The plan is for an exemption for the England squad. But if not, Premier League clubs will not *have* to release players. That's not to say they won't.

It is expected most nations will look to provide exemptions, or travel corridors, for games to take place.

But UEFA accepts it may be the case that some matches may need to take place on neutral ground due to the difficulties international football is going to present.

We have already seen the issues when a club travels into another country for Champions League and Europa League games.

With international football that will, in many few cases, involve players flying in from several different countries to represent their one nation.

If there are general travel restrictions to or from either where the club is, or where the national team is due to play, the club team also will not have to release the player.

At present, this only applies to the upcoming window, which only features UEFA nations.

*England game is September 5 (a week on Saturday) and not September 9 as I put.

Following on here, Werder Bremen have refused to release Milot Rashica (KOS), Milos Veljkovic (SRB) and Tahith Chong (NED) for international duty after Bremen Health Department said they must be quarantined for five days on return, regardless of tests. https://www.werder.de/de/aktuell/news/profis/20202021/laenderspiele-veljkovic-chong-und-rashica-29082020/

Rashica was to play in Kosovo, Chong in Belarus, Veljkovic in Russia and Serbia.

The countries are defined as high risk areas by the Robert Koch Institute, so the Bremen Health Department placed the 5-day quarantine requirement upon their return.

Had the three players been allowed to link up for international duty, they would all have been ruled out of Werder Bremen's DFB Pokal match against Carl Zeiss Jena on September 12.

This is all in line with FIFA's temporary regulations for international football for September.

Germany is a specific case, with local health authorities setting regulations. And the Bremen Health Department was one of the last on board with the return of the Bundesliga in May.

Very much doubt this will be the only case of a club refusing to release players this week.

Two other Netherlands U21s will not be released for the game in Belarus. Dutch health authorities insist on 10-day quarantine upon return.

Justin Bijlow & Lutsharel Geertruida will not be released by Feyenoord. Must raise questions about how the game could go ahead in Belarus.

Worth pointing out that England does have an exemption for the squad so there is no problem with quarantine.

However, any members of the press who want to attend the game must self isolate for five days upon arrival in Iceland... So they have to get there this weekend...