FIFA introduces the “mandatory player” law in clubs | sports

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is considering introducing an important amendment to the game’s regulations, requiring clubs to field at least one player from the under-20 or 21-year-old category, and a member of the club, on the field throughout the match.

The Federation explained, in an official statement, that its Council unanimously agreed to launch a stage of consultations with all concerned parties regarding this proposal, with it being officially presented to the FIFA Council during the next year.

According to informed sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the discussions between the presidents of the six continental federations were positive and focused on how to adopt this measure to support the development of young talents.

These consultations will also address the definition of the “local player” within this context, with a special focus on medium-level federations, and not just the major clubs, with the aim of expanding the participation base of young players and granting them regular playing minutes.

In the English Premier League, current rules stipulate that the number of non-local players cannot exceed 17 players in a roster of 25 players, allowing up to 8 seats for players classified as local.

This rule does not include players under 21 years of age, who can be played without being included in the list, nor does it dictate how they are used during matches.

This season, clubs such as Newcastle United, Manchester City and Manchester United emerged as the teams that relied most on England Under-21 players in terms of the number of minutes, noting that Manchester United has maintained the presence of a local player in its match list for 88 years.

On the other hand, clubs such as Leeds United and Burnley did not field any player from this category during the 2025-2026 season.

This proposal may have a direct impact on transfer policies, as selling local players is a source of net profit for clubs, which some teams exploit to avoid violating the rules of profitability and financial sustainability.