FIFA's '6 + 5' rule

FIFA's proposal to limit the number of foreign players appearing for European club sides has been rejected by the European Parliament on the grounds that it is contrary to the principle that all workers including footballers should be unrestricted in where they work in Europe. FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, has since revealed that the proposed "6 + 5" rule, which would limit the number of non-national players in each club's starting line-up to five, has received unanimous approval from FIFA's executive committee ahead of the FIFA Congress which was held in Australia on 29 and 30 May.

The precise proposals involve quotas being fixed for all clubs based in Europe by 2010. For the 2010 season, each club must contain at least four home grown players who are eligible to play for the national side in its starting eleven. By 2011, there must be five home grown players and by 2012, there must be six. There is no proposed restriction on the number of foreign players who can be selected as substitutes.

FIFA argues that the rule is in the interests of ensuring a more level playing field, to bridge the gap between the richer and the poorer clubs. Leading tournaments such as the FA Premier League (FAPL) in England boast more foreign players than home grown English players, which FIFA argues is also to the detriment of the national side. However, an inevitable result of the proposed FIFA quotas would be for fewer and fewer foreign players to sign for English clubs in the first place.

The FAPL has reacted strongly to the proposals. Richard Scudamore, the Chief Executive of the FAPL, fears that jealousy amongst other national European leagues, which are unable to compete financially (and currently also on the playing field) with the FAPL and its clubs, will prompt European legislators to try and redress the balance. That said, the European Parliament has voted by a firm majority against FIFA's proposals, stating that any such proposals would be inconsistent with the free movement of workers which were expressly integrated into the rules governing football transfers as a result of the Bosman judgment. Instead, it has advocated the approach put forward by UEFA, which would see quotas introduced into club football to ensure a minimum number of home grown players within club squads. The European Parliament supports the concept of encouraging home grown talent but would prefer to see young foreign players included in the quota. Blatter is due to meet the President of the European Parliament for talks on 5 June.
Football is not alone in investigating the need for quotas. In volleyball, the FIVB, the world governing body, is prepared to commence legal proceedings to enforce a proposed new rule which requires clubs to have a maximum of two foreign players on court out of six at any one time. Ruben Acosta, FIVB President, believes that "any court will recognise that international non-governmental organisations have the freedom to legislate their own association".