Chelsea may be unable to select their unvaccinated players for next month’s Club World Cup, with FIFA awaiting guidance from local authorities following Abu Dhabi’s decision to remove the UK from its green list.
The current rules, which are subject to change, state any arrivals from the UK to Abu Dhabi who have not had a booster dose face a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
It is unclear how many members of Thomas Tuchel’s squad remain unvaccinated but as it stands they will not be allowed to participate in the competition, with their semi-final scheduled for February 9.
A FIFA source told football.london that discussions are ongoing around the regulations and whether exemptions can be granted for athletes.
Chelsea could also end up without their unvaccinated players for the away leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Lille after UEFA confirmed earlier today that clubs must comply with local rules.
France has taken a hardline stance and new laws stipulate that anybody without a jab will not be allowed into stadiums. There will be no exemptions, including for domestic athletes, with president Emmanuel Macron recently declaring he wants to "p*** off" those who are refusing to be jabbed.
Tuchel, who has repeatedly been asked for his views on getting players vaccinated, believes he is not in a position to force anyone, citing the need to respect personal choice.
“There can be regulations around this,” he said last month. “You have to live with the consequences. But we cannot force people to get vaccinated. I will not change my opinion on that. And I am not the guy to comment on that. There are experts in this country, all over Europe. Ask them and ask me please about football.”
The entry regulations to Qatar for November’s World Cup are expected to be similarly stringent and some national associations have started reminding their players of the need to be protected.
But FIFA also remains in discussions with the Qatari government, with one potential alternative being additional testing for players who are unjabbed.
