Dubai: The UAE Football Association (UAE FA) has implemented a rule allowing expatriate players to be part of the country’s Reserve League from the 2017-18 season.
“Allowing expatriate players to play in the Reserve League run by the PLC is possibly one of the biggest steps forward for the sport here,” Abdullah Nasser Al Junaibi, Vice-President, UAE Football Association (UAE FA) and Chairman of the Pro League Committee (PLC), told Gulf News.
“It is our vision to embrace true talent that exists within the UAE and therefore we have debated this issue before agreeing to allow expats to play,” he added.
As many as two UAE-resident players born between 1998 and 2001 will be eligible to make an appearance in the Reserve League.
Presently, all clubs from the UAE are allowed to register any number of foreign professionals but allowed to have a maximum of three on the field during a match. However, expatriate players, however good, have not bagged formal contracts with any of the clubs yet.
Also, Al Junaibi pointed out, the Arabian Gulf Cup will have quarter-finals this season. “In addition, we will make sure we have at least one or two strong matches in every round so that we can have more spectators coming and attending the games,” he said.
“Further, the detailed rules and regulations governing competitions will be announced shortly so clubs are more prepared well in advance. We need more spectators and we are trying to see how clubs too can assist in this,” Al Junaibi added.
