RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and the Saudi Pro League announced on Friday they had agreed to amend the number of registered players for clubs in the Kingdom’s top division to 25 players, down from 30.
The SAFF and SPL also said each club would be entitled to register 10 non-Saudi players as part of their 25-man squads.
The changes would take effect from the beginning of the upcoming 2024-2025 season, they added.
According to the new regulations, eight foreign players who were born before 2003 can be registered for the squad, while the rules allow for two foreign players born in 2003 or after, with the aim of improving the development of youth players in the league.
Each club will still be entitled to register one professional player born in Saudi Arabia, provided they were born in 1998 or afterward.
Each team participating in the SPL can register a maximum of eight non-Saudi players in their matchday squad for each match, in addition to the professionals born in Saudi Arabia.
This rule does not apply to matches in the King’s Cup and the Saudi Super Cup, where all registered non-Saudi players in the club can participate, a SAFF and SPL statement said.
This decision comes after coordination with the clubs, the management of the Saudi national teams and the technical director of the SAFF during several workshops held with the clubs, the statement added.
