Scottish football clubs on alert as radical new Fifa proposal could have seismic impact
Rule would force clubs to rethink team selection and substitutions
Senior clubs in Scotland could be required to have at least one homegrown under-21 player on the pitch at all times under radical new plans drawn up by Fifa.
Football's governing body has approved a consultation process involving stakeholders worldwide with a view to submitting a formal proposal to the Fifa Council within the next 12 months.
Should the plans be voted through, it would represent a siesmic change across the global game with clubs forced to reconsider transfer policy, team selection and in-game substitutions.
One of the driving factors behind the move is said to be improving the development of young players - something that has been a bone of contention within Scottish football in recent years.
A 2024 Scottish FA report highlighted a significant, systemic failure in developing young talent, with Scottish Premiership teams providing fewer minutes to under-21 players compared to similar-sized nations like Norway, Croatia, and Denmark
Rules requiring Scottish Premiership clubs to select at least three under-21 players in their 18-man matchday squad were abolished when the SPFL was formed in 2013-14.
Uefa currently has a 'homegrown' rule which requires clubs competing in European competition to include eight players in their 25-man A squad lists to be locally trained, but there is no obligation for them to play.
A statement from Fifa confirmed: “The FIFA Council unanimously approved a consultation process with all relevant stakeholders for a regulatory obligation that senior club teams are obliged to always have at least one homegrown player from the U-20 or U-21 category on the field of play, and for the proposal to be submitted to the FIFA Council in the next year.”
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