AIFF bars participation of foreign players in state leagues

The decision was taken in a meeting of the AIFF Executive committee on 14 April.

On the 14th of April, the executive committee of AIFF held a meeting in New Delhi, where a number of important decisions were taken for the betterment of the game in the nation. Some of the major highlights were the increased incentive towards the development of grassroot facilities, as well as more development surrounding women's football in India.

Amongst these disclosures, another important decision made by the committee was revealed, that being the exclusion of all foreign players, both male and female, from all divisions of city, district and state leagues, starting 1st June 2023.

Foreign players - a hindrance towards local development ?

While this decision made by the AIFF can rage a debate by some people, as the exclusion of foreign players would mean a significant downgrade in the quality of football, it should also be kept in mind, that the restriction will now give a lot of opportunities to local talents and individuals, to emerge and stand out in their team, something that was earlier only achieved by top class foreign signings. 

These foreign players can be very beneficial for the team, but they seldom contribute to the overall development of football in the country. Now with their departure, the Indian players have a chance to express themselves on the pitch in a more reformed manner, and attract some of the footballing powerhouses in India.

In the ISL as well, the number of foreign players that can be fielded by a team at a particular point of time, has been reduced from five to four. The decision was taken to allow the Indian players' development and give them more game time, and ensure that the national team is enriched through the process.

The move has so far been a success in the ISL, and every season there has been a significant improvement in the quality of Indian footballers on the pitch. Hopefully, the same will be expected to be seen in the state or district or city leagues, courtesy this move by the AIFF.