New foreign player rule in Turkish football: Changed 15 times in the last 20 years

The foreign player rule, which is the most discussed topic in Turkish football and is on the agenda to be changed almost every year, has been changed once again.

Although rules such as 6+2, 6+2+2, 6+0+4, and 8+6 have been tried to date, these formulas were not long-lasting and were subject to change.

While the 2023-24 season was underway, it was announced that under the new foreign player rule, the number of foreign-national players allowed to be registered on the A-Team list of Süper Lig clubs would be reduced from 14 to 12 for three seasons, and then to 11 for the following two seasons.

However, the newly appointed TFF administration announced that it has reduced this number back to 14. Thus, clubs will be able to have 14 foreign players in their squads for the new season. There will be no requirement for any domestic players in the starting 11.

FOREIGN PLAYER RULES APPLIED IN OUR LEAGUE

Turkey is among the countries that change their foreign player rules the most in the world. In fact, it is observed that this rule has been changed exactly 15 times in the last 20 years.

The first foreign player rule in our country began in the 1971-72 season. With this season, a requirement was introduced that foreign football players coming to Turkey must not be over the age of 25.

In the following years, there were a number of changes to the rule. The foreign player rule was set at 2 in the 1977-78 season, 3 in the 1989-90 season, 3+1 in the 1996-97 season, and 5 in the 1998-99 season.

PERIODS WITH '+'

By the 2000s, the first decisions were made in the 2001-2002 season with 5+1, in the 2002-03 season with 5+1+2 (5 players in the starting 11, 1 substitute, 2 out of the squad), and in the 2004-05 season with a 6-foreigner rule.

In the 2007-2008 season, the foreign player rule changed twice within the same season. The rule, which began as 6+1 at the start of the season, was adjusted to 6+2 during the mid-season break.

In the 2010-11 season, the rule changed once again. According to the decision taken, clubs were allowed to include 6 foreign players in the starting 11. The right to include 2 foreign players on the bench was also granted. Clubs had the right to sign contracts with a total of 10 foreign players in the 2010-11 season.

In the 2011-12 season, the rule changed once again and shifted to 6+2. This meant that clubs were now granted the right to include 8 foreign football players.

In 2013-2014, the 6+0+4 rule was decided upon, while in 2014-15, the 5+3 rule was adopted.

In the 2015-16 season, there was a major change in the rule. It was announced that clubs could have 14 domestic and 14 foreign players in their 28-man squads.

The first starting eleven consisting of 11 foreign players occurred in the 2017-18 season. This rule remained in effect until the end of the 2019-20 season.

As of the second half of the 2020-21 season, the number of foreign players was increased from 14 to 16. In 2021-22, it was also permitted to have 8 foreign players in the starting 11.