FIFA confirm restrictions on the loan market from 2024
World football’s governing body – FIFA – has revealed proposals which are planned to be in place in time for the summer transfer window, which aim to ensure young players are not left to rot if they are not included within a club’s senior set-up.
From 2024, clubs will be restricted to six players loaned in and six loaned out at one time with Under 21s and club-trained players exempted.
The rules include:
- The requirement of a written agreement defining the terms of the loan, in particular its duration and financial conditions. The agreement should include a minimum loan duration, and a maximum loan duration – being one year.
- A ban on sub-loaning a professional player who is already on loan to a third club.
- A limit on the number of loans per season between the same clubs. At any given time during a season, a club may only have a maximum of three professionals loaned out to a single club and a maximum of three professionals loaned in from a single club.
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- There will also be restrictions on a club’s total number of loans per season and to ensure that this is implemented smoothly, there will be a three stage transitional period.
From July 1 to June 30 2023, clubs may have a maximum of eight professional players loaned out and eight loaned in at any given time during a season.
From July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, that number will be cut to seven professionals.
And finally, from July 1 2024, the same configuration that will again be slashed to six professional.
However, the incoming regulations will not apply to players aged 21 and younger. Club-trained players will also be exempt from these limitations.
FIFA say the objective of the new rules are to ‘develop young players, promote competitive balance and prevent hoarding’.
