Dubai: The UAE Football Association Tournaments Committee (TC) has given the green signal to the clubs to sign three foreign players from the coming season 2007-2008.
The TC, after conducting detailed discussions and necessary studies, submitted the recommendations in the meeting held yesterday with the FA Board of Directors, who have given the approval.
The recommendations are as follows:
1. Each First division club allowed to sign with three foreign players and the three can take part in all the FA tournaments.
2. Two foreign players will be allowed for the second division clubs.
3. Each First division club allowed to sign with five players (age between 18 - 23) and three of them can play with the under 20 team in each club.
The increase of the foreign players to three instead of two as it was from their return in 1998, is a victory for the Abu Dhabi clubs, who have been seeking to add a third foreigner for a long time now.
However, the FA didn't agree to that on the grounds that some clubs' financial resources will not allow them to do so. But when the Asian Football Confederation asked to implement professional league after two years, the FA found themselves forced to allow the clubs to sign with the third foreign player, because their number could be increased to five when the professional league become operational.
The TC has put off the decision to finalise the fixtures for the coming season, until the announcement of the Arab Football Confederation Champions League fixtures.
The TC decided new timings for the league's final week next Sunday as follows: 6:15pm: Emirates v Al Shabab, Al Ahli v Sharjah, Al Jazira v Al Shaab, Fujairah v Al Ain. 8:20pm: Al Nasr v Al Wahda, Dubai club v Al Wasl.
