Saudi Arabia‘s new ruling on foreign players poses threat to Europe’s clubs

The new rules that will be implemented in the Roshn Saudi League from 2024-25 promise some interesting changes. The Saudi Football Federation announced today plans for expanded quotas of foreign players - a coup that will pose yet another threat to European clubs. The places reserved for non-Saudi players in each club’s squad will be expanded from eight to 10, allowing the main Saudi teams more room for maneuver in the transfer window. The move has put European clubs on red alert.

European players being lured to Saudi Arabia

A new margin that opens up the possibility for Saudi clubs to sign a greater number of players - particularly big name stars, to further strengthen the Saudi league. “The Saudi Football Federation and the Saudi Professional League decided to modify the number of players registered in the first team squads of the Saudi Professional League clubs to 25 players, taking into account the right of each club to register 10 non-Saudi players, with eight participants in each match, starting with the 2024-25 football season,” the statement, which was made official today, reads.

The move by the federation has given the big clubs an impetus to undertake more signings of top foreign players. Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr both anticipated the change last summer but at the time they were limited by the current foreigners players quota. Al-Hilal signed seven foreign players: Neymar, Malcom, Bono, Mitrovic, Neves, Milinkovic-Savic and Koulibaly. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s club reinforced with Otávio, Mané, Laporte, Seko Fofana, Brozovic and Telles.