By Selcuk Bugra Gokalp
The number of foreign-based players in the Trendyol Super Lig will be reduced, initially to 12, the Turkish Football Federation announced on Thursday.
Starting with the 2024-25 season, the number of foreign-based footballers to be included in the first team list has been reduced from 14 to 12 in the first three seasons and to 11 in the following two seasons, but there will be no limit on the matchday list, according to a statement.
The number of players to be included in the first team list has also been cut from 30 to 26 in order to enable clubs to use their transfer budgets more efficiently, the statement added.
Additionally, starting in the 2024-25 season, a large portion of the fund fees to be collected from foreign player transfers will be paid by the federation as "domestic football player incentive fund" to clubs that play players who are eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team.
- Encouraging local player development
The federation also introduced new measures to encourage local player development.
Among the 14 players eligible to play for the Turkish National Football Team to be included in the first team list, at least two in the first three seasons and at least three in the following two seasons must have been trained from the club academy.
In addition to players trained in club academies, five seasons from now, at least five of the 14 players who are eligible to play for Türkiye must have been trained in local academies.