AFC Champions League to relax foreign player caps and adjust calendar to boost global standing
- AFC hopes the decision will allow Asia’s top clubs to benefit from more opportunities to sign quality players and coaches from around the world
- For the first time in the AFC Champions League’s history, competition will transition to an autumn-spring calendar
Teams playing in the AFC Champions League will soon be allowed to field more foreign players under a series of sweeping changes approved by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
From the 2023-24 season, coaches will be allowed to field up to six foreign players in their starting line-ups for the first time, an increase of two from the current quota, and at least one of those players must be from another Asian nation.
The newly approved foreign player quota was widely supported by member associations, and follows the recent removal of the 3+1 ceiling on the number of foreign players allowed in the preliminary season – which was also increased from 30 to 35 for the club competitions’ seasons this year.
The AFC also confirmed competition would transition to an autumn-spring calendar for the first time since the AFC Champions League’s inaugural season in 2002-03.
The competition has been played from March to November since 2004, although Covid-19 has resulted in amendments to that schedule for the past two years.