How Leeds United could be worst affected by FIFA's new young players rule
FIFA are proposing a rule which would make it compulsory for teams to use young players at all times - how will it work, and when could it come into force?
A new FIFA rule could be coming which forces clubs around the world to use young, home-grown talent in their teams at all times – and it may have a huge impact on the transfer market and on the way sides build their squads.
According to a report from The Athletic, FIFA is set to consider a proposal which would compel professional clubs to have at least one home-grown youth player on the field of play at all times, with a decision on the prospective new law set to be made in 2027. But how would the rules work, and why might Leeds be among the teams to take the biggest hit if it comes into force?
Will FIFA force teams to use young players with a new rule?
According to The Athletic, FIFA’s proposal would mandate that teams have at least one home-grown player from either the Under-20 or Under-21 age group on the field of play at all times.
The new law has apparently been “unanimously approved” by the heads of the six continental federations and other relevant stakeholders, and will now be put before the FIFA Council when they meet early next year – suggesting the rule could be in force as early as the 2027/28 season if adopted.
Details of the specifics of the rule and how it would be enforced are not yet public, but The Athletic indicates that the ruling would address a definition for what constitutes a ‘home-grown player’ – as it stands, different leagues and federations use different rules regarding whether a player must be a citizen of their country to count as home-grown, or merely to have spent a certain amount of time in that country to qualify.
It isn’t clear how the rule would be enforced, what manner of punishments might be imposed on teams that break the new law, nor what would happen in instances where, for instance, an Under-21 player was injured and all of their side’s substitutions had already been used. Such details are likely to emerge as the consultation process continues ahead of next year’s verdict.
The intention of the proposed rule is to encourage teams to invest in youth development and to retain young academy talent. It isn’t known what levels of football the ruling would be applied to, but sources suggest that it will be aimed at less prestigious FIFA member associations as well as those at the top of the game. It is also not clear whether the law change would apply to both men’s and women’s football.
Why Leeds would be among the clubs to be heavily impacted the most by the new rule
Among the sides who would currently find the rules difficult to comply with are Premier League clubs like Burnley and Leeds, neither of which has given a single minute of top-flight football to an English Under-21 player this season.
Liverpool, Aston Villa and Brentford are among other top-flight English teams who have given extremely limited opportunities to players who would be likely to qualify under the new rules, and it is yet to be seen whether such sides would push back against the new regulations – elite teams do not yet appear to have been consulted.
If the new law does come into effect, it could change habit many clubs have gotten in to of selling young academy products, with transfer fees earned for such players counting as pure profit for the purposes of complying with UEFA and current Premier League spending rules. Such sales give teams more spending power in the transfer market, but clubs may soon be compelled to avoid such deals to ensure that they have enough young players available to comply with the rules.
The rules, if implemented in full, are likely to heavily favour teams with productive academy systems while strongly disadvantaging those who prefer to invest in talent through other means. Some English sides, such as Huddersfield Town, have gone as far as to disband parts of their academies in recent years in order to save money – if the rule was to apply to the EFL, several teams who have been cost-cutting could have a significant problem on their hands.
Among the Premier League sides likely to benefit from the proposed changes would be Manchester United, Manchester City and Crystal Palace, who have given extensive game time to young players and academy prospects.
Current Premier League rules state that clubs can only have a maximum of 17 players in their 25-man squads who are not considered home-grown, a status which is given to players who spent at least three years in the UK prior to their 21st birthday – but no age restrictions exist, meaning that there are a number of teams who would have to make big changes to comply with the rule if it is brought into force after 2027.