Fifa Enters New Ec Talks Over Quotas

World football governing body FIFA is entering into new negotiations with the European Commission to discuss plans to limit the number of foreign players at football clubs.

FIFA is looking to stop clubs fielding more than five non-nationals in their starting teams – a move the EU says would be illegal.

However a report by the Institute for European Affairs (INEA), commissioned by FIFA, says the plans do not fall foul of EU regulations.

FIFA’s ‘6+5’ rule was approved by 155 of the organisation’s member nations last year.

However the European Commission believes a quota on foreign players would be incompatible with EU law as it amounts to discrimination at work and a restriction on the free movement of workers.

The report added: ‘The key aim of the 6+5 rule in the view of the experts is the creation and assurance of sporting competition.

‘The 6+5 rule does not impinge on the core area of the right to freedom of movement.

‘The rule is merely a rule of the game declared in the general interest of sport in order to improve the sporting balance between clubs and associations.’

A FIFA spokesman said the report would form the basis of a new round of talks with the EU.