Nice invoke FIFA rule to take all internationals to Saint-Étienne play-off | OneFootball

OGC Nice have named a squad for Tuesday's Ligue 1-Ligue 2 play-off first leg at Saint-Étienne at 20:45 that includes every player facing potential World Cup duty.

According to L'Équipe, the club is invoking Annex 1, Article 3(2) of FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. The rule demands written call-ups at least 15 days before release, in this case by 10 May, and none of the three relevant federations met that deadline. FIFA has confirmed the club can rely on this point, and Nice has notified FIFA and the federations that late call-ups are void and the players can remain without sanction.

Earlier, arrangements were agreed for the Ivorian Elye Wahi, suspended on Tuesday, and Senegal internationals Antoine Mendy and Yéhvann Diouf to stay beyond 25 May. Uncertainty over Algeria's Hicham Boudaoui, Ghana's Kojo Peprah Oppong and Tunisia's Ali Abdi has now been resolved, and all three are in the travelling party.

The trio will join their national teams after Friday night, once the second leg at Saint-Étienne is completed. At least one other European club appears to be in a similar position, Standard Liège.

Goalkeeper Maxime Dupé is absent with club permission as his partner is expecting a baby. Tom Louchet misses out with a thigh injury. Salis Abdul Samed, back in training after the Coupe de France final, is included and is not World Cup-bound after missing Ghana's provisional list.

Source: L'Équipe