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The best European clubs since the 2006-07 season will have to include "local players" in their squads. This decision was made on Thursday after a secret vote during the UEFA Congress in Tallinn.
The new rules will apply only to those clubs participating in the Champions League and UEFA Cup competitions, but UEFA hopes that this policy will soon be applied at the national championship level as well.
Starting from the 2006-07 season, clubs will have to include at least four players trained in local football academies in the list of 25 players registered for European cup competitions. Later, the number will increase - in the 2007-08 season up to six, in the 2008-09 season up to eight.
UEFA defines "local players" as footballers who, aged 15-21, have trained for at least three years in a club participating in the cup, or in another football academy of that club's country.
According to European Union legislation, the nationality of the footballer is not important.
Presenting this declaration to the Congress, UEFA Vice President Per Ravnas Omdalis said: "This will be the foundation of future football. It can be said that four out of twenty-five is a low number. And it is. But we want to take the first and intermediate steps so that clubs have time to adjust to our new rules by 2008-09."
The Congress also adopted a six-point declaration aimed at emphasizing the sporting principle in football.
"UEFA recognizes that finances play an important role in football today, but football should not be a financial competition," the declaration states. "Everything should be in the name of the sporting principle. This element of sport means that each club should take responsibility for developing footballers, not buying players trained by others."
