Nantes have been granted a temporary reprieve from a transfer ban handed down earlier this month.
FIFA barred the newly-promoted Ligue 1 club from signing players this summer or in next January's transfer window owing to apparent irregularities over the signing of Guinea striker Ismael Bangoura, with the decision later upheld on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Nantes club president Waldemar Kita immediately responded by lodging a further appeal with the Swiss federal court, which yesterday agreed to lift the ban until later this month.
"Pursuant to an order dated June 13, 2013, the Federal Court (equivalent to the Court of Cassation in Switzerland) granted to FC Nantes the benefit of the suspensive effect to the appeal filed against the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport June 3, 2013," a statement on the Nantes website read.
"Immediately and until further notice, FC Nantes can now proceed with the registration of new players."
Quoted in L'Equipe, Kita later revealed that the ban had been lifted "only until 28 June at this point" - the date the Swiss court is expected to announce its verdict.
FIFA determined Nantes had broken rules when recruiting Bangoura from Al Nasr Sports Club of Dubai in January 2012.
The eight-time French champions unsuccessfully challenged the verdict from FIFA's dispute resolution chamber, which also made Bangoura and Nantes jointly liable to pay Al Nasr compensation of 4.5million euros (?3.9million) over breach of contract.
Nantes earned promotion to Ligue 1 last season and a summer of rebuilding for their return to the top flight had been anticipated.
The recruitment process may now be condensed into just two weeks, although Kita insists the club will not make any knee-jerk decisions.
"We are looking for one player in each area, only free players and experienced, preferably from French clubs - but we will not rush," he said.
