World CupFootball’s governing body FIFA has agreed to extend its insurance for clubs in the event of an injury to a footballer playing in the 2014 World Cup, if they are called up to pre-tournament training squads before the deadline.

The FIFA Club Protection Programme was expected to start on 26th May but in recognition that some teams have already started squad training it has agreed, to cover any injured player before this date.

Insurance, paid annually by FIFA, is aimed to cover club salaries of players injured when with their national teams.

The cover has a maximum annual payout of $9.7m per injured player and payouts depend on the size of individual contracts.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter introduced the “total insurance coverage” in 2012 following complaints from Bayern Munich after the 2010 World Cup when Arjen Robben was injured for six months.

The United States squad, including several players from English and German clubs, is among those in World Cup training camps before the official call-up deadline.

FIFA budgets tens of millions of dollars each year to cover club salaries of players injured while with national teams.