Can Hakim Ziyech be qualified before the second phase?
The transfer of Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech to Wydad Athletic Club has sparked legal debate regarding his eligibility to participate with the team before the second phase, given the conflicting schedules between the regulations of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), FIFA, and CAF.
Ziyech signed a contract with Wydad until June 2027 after terminating his connection with his previous club, in a free transfer. Despite being physically ready, as stated by the team’s president, his name has not yet been listed in the team’s roster for official competitions due to registration issues.
Legal expert Mohammed Al-Moujtahid noted that according to Article 6 of the FRMF regulations, no player can be registered outside of the predefined transfer windows unless in exceptional cases. Since Ziyech is considered a “free” player after the summer transfer window closed, registering him seems legally impossible before the winter transfer market scheduled for mid-January.
Moreover, according to the expert Al-Moujtahid, FIFA allows the registration of a free player outside of transfer windows only if their contract ended before the window closed, a condition that does not apply to Ziyech based on circulating legal reports.
At the level of CAF, the registration period for players in the Champions League and the Confederation Cup has been extended until February 28, 2025, which may give Wydad the opportunity to qualify their new star continentally after resolving his local status.
Although Ziyech’s transfer is officially completed, his eligibility to participate before the second phase is not guaranteed legally according to Moroccan regulations unless Wydad obtains an exceptional authorization from the Royal Federation.
Thus, the official qualification of the player remains postponed until the winter transfer window opens or a specific decision is issued by the relevant football bodies.
