Rule changes implemented by FAW for 2020/21 season
Cardiff, Wales 11/11/19. Wales training at The Vale Resort ahead of their UEFA Euro Qualifier against Azerbaijan. Lewis Mitchell/YCPD.
A number of rule changes were by the Football Association of Wales this week for the 2020/21 season.
The top tier of Welsh football has had a change will put them in line with the rest of Europe’s top leagues.
Welsh football’s lower levels have also been dealt a rule change which will impact their recruitment policies.
Interesting statistic here. At yesterday’s @CymruLeagues AGM the UEFA Homegrown Rule was introduced into CPL for next season.
— Andrew Howard (@theandrewhoward) July 31, 2020
Squad size: 25
‘Free Players’: 17
Club Trained: 4
FAW Trained: 4
Unlimited club youth team players https://t.co/aCWGkIIwhu
The FAW’s Head of Competitions, Andrew Howard revealed on social media that the UEFA Homegrown Rule would be introduced for the 2020/21 season.
Cymru Premier clubs, similar to the Premier League, will have a squad size of 25 and will submit their squads at the end of the two registration periods.
A minimum of two goalkeepers will be required, clubs will have 17 ‘free’ players to choose from but will then have to include four club trained players and four FAW trained players.
The eligibility of a home-grown player can is someone who “regardless of their nationality or age, have been trained by their club or by another club in the national association for at least three years between the age of 15 and 21.”
As exclusively reported by Grassroots North Wales, there will also be rule changes lower down the pyramid system.
Clubs in the fourth and fifth tier of Welsh football, a level branded ‘recreational football’ will be banned from paying their players.
Rule 61 (A) was rubber-stamped by the FAW earlier this week with the only exception to the rule being expenses.
In another report, Dai Sport’s Matthew Burgess revealed this week that players will be able to play for three clubs next season.
This will be temporary rule change and is expected to be changed next season.
He also added that the Cymru Premier is working for a possible start date of Friday, September 11.
There is a hope Wales could follow in the footsteps of Scotland and that matches would include fans, however that will be determined by the Welsh Government.
How are they going to stop payment to players , it happens a lot at tier 4 and 5 and has done for a long time .
Anybody paying players in Tier 4 and 5 must be either very rich or very stupid. Why pay players at such a low level.