EXCLUSIVE: The AIFF opposed AFC's decision to increase foreign players in ACL and AFC Cup

THE AFC HAVE CHANGED the foreign player quota in AFC Cup and ACL despite opposition from the AIFF and some other member associations, TFG can confirm.

Earlier today, the continental football governing body's Executive Committee revealed its decision that the top two tiers of Asian club football will no longer limit the registration of foreign players to 3+1 (3 from any country, 1 from an AFC member association), but increase it to 5+1 (5 from any country, 1 from an AFC member association) from the 2023-24 season.

A press release on the subject said,

"The newly approved foreign player quota was widely supported by both the AFC Competitions and AFC Technical Committees, following the recent removal of the 3+1 ceiling on the number of foreign players allowed in the Preliminary Registration, which was also increased from 30 to 35 for this year’s club competitions’ seasons."

The decision, however, did not have unanimous support, and the All India Football Federation opposed it every step of the way.

TFG has reliably learned from sources that when the matter was raised in the AFC's top commitees, the AIFF voiced its disagreement on record. At the AFC Competitions Committee, the I-League CEO Sunando Dhar, along with representatives of other associations like Iraq and Jordan, opposed this move. Then the matter was referred to the AFC Technical Committee, where former Indian international and AIFF Deputy General Secretary Abhishek Yadav also opposed it.

Finally, the proposal was presented at the AFC Executive Committee. Praful Patel, the AIFF President and a FIFA Council Member, agreed to oppose this proposal there. But ultimately, it was adopted and implemented with majority support.

This move by the AFC is part of its plan to make the ACL and AFC Cup more commercially attractive, by making them more closely resembles the UEFA Champions League.

It has, however, dealt a setback to developing countries like India who are trying to use their national league to develop better quality players for the national team, and become more competitive at the continental and global stage.

Both the Indian Super League and I-League have been on a path to reduce the number of foreign players allowed per team. Both have reduced the number of foreign players allowed on the pitch to 4, down from 5 in the recent past. The clubs are allowed to register 6 (5 from any country, 1 from an AFC member association) overseas players in the whole squad.

Having 7 Indian players on the field has already led to some positive results, with the ISL witnessing the emergence of some young Indian strikers and other offensive players who would have had less game time if the clubs had the option to field a foreign player instead.

But with AFC allowing 6 foreign players on the field, it's putting Indian clubs at a situation of disparity where the foreign players that they would be able to start in the Asian level would not have enough game time in the domestic competitions. At the same time, if clubs start fielding 6 foreign players in the starting XI at ISL or I-League, that once again creates a situation where Indian players with the potential to serve the national team may not be getting enough game time.

To deal with this dilemma, one opinion going around among the AIFF top brass is to maintain the limit of 4 foreign players in the starting XI at the domestic level, and leave it to the clubs who are preparing for AFC competitions to ensure that their other foreign players also get enough game time through rotation and substitutions.

It is hoped that this policy, which requires no change in the current foreign player quotas in ISL and I-League, will minimize the impact of the AFC rule change on Indian football.

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