FIFA’s refusal to grant an exemption for international players before the 2026 World Cup is causing significant tension around the Ligue 1-Ligue 2 playoffs. OGC Nice accuses the LFP of maintaining a long-known schedule and is considering legal action if several players were to miss the matches against Saint-Étienne.
OGC Nice is raising its voice before the Ligue 1-Ligue 2 playoffs against Saint-Étienne. The Nice club sent a registered letter to Vincent Labrune, president of the Professional Football League, following FIFA’s refusal to grant an exemption concerning the availability of international players before the 2026 World Cup.
The Eagles, beaten by Lens in the Cup final (1-3), are now playing for their survival in Ligue 1. The first leg will take place on May 26 at Geoffroy-Guichard. The return match will take place three days later in Nice, behind closed doors.
But several international players could miss this double confrontation. FIFA requires the release of selected players from May 25. The exemption request submitted by the LFP has been rejected. Each federation therefore remains free to accept or refuse the presence of players for the playoffs.
A letter addressed to Vincent Labrune
In this letter signed by Maurice Cohen, vice-president of the Gym, OGC Nice mentions “particularly serious and manifestly harmful consequences” linked to the scheduling of the playoffs.
The letter denounces a position of “extreme sporting, organizational and economic difficulty” and argues that “the overlap between the playoffs and the FIFA international window was entirely foreseeable and identifiable long in advance.”
The Nice club explains that it must engage “urgently and without any guarantee of success” discussions with the various concerned federations in order to obtain the exceptional release of certain players.
OGC Nice also specifies that the club “expressly reserves the right to initiate any appropriate legal proceedings and to appeal to all competent courts, both national and international” if several international players were to miss this double confrontation.
Several cases still pending
Discussions are progressing on a case-by-case basis with national teams. Ghana should allow Kojo Peprah Oppong to finish the season with Nice. A favorable outcome is also being considered for the Senegalese Yehvann Diouf and Antoine Mendy. Suspended for the first playoff, the Ivorian Elye Wahi should be able to participate in the second match.
The situation remains more uncertain for Hicham Boudaoui. The Algerian federation would accept an exemption on the condition that all Nice international players are released by their respective federations. The Tunisian Ali Abdi is still awaiting a decision.
Faced with this situation, the possibility of a boycott is still being discussed internally if no solution is found before the two decisive matches against Saint-Étienne.
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