FIFA announces new loan regulations to prevent clubs ´hoarding players´

FIFA has announced new regulations that will limit the number of players that can be loaned in and out in order to prevent clubs from “hoarding players”.

The new rules were outlined by the governing body on Thursday and will come into effect from the start of the next transfer window should they be ratified by the FIFA Council

Teams will initially be limited to having a maximum of eight players loaned out and eight loaned in at any given time during a season. 

That number will drop to seven ahead of the 2023-24 season, and six from the start of the following campaign and beyond.

While that does not cover domestic loans, national associations have been asked by FIFA to bring their own regulations in line by July 2025 at the latest.

However, players aged 21 and younger and club-trained players will be exempt from these limitations.

In a further development, the number of players loaned in from the same club will be capped at three per season. 

And the minimum length for a loan deal will be between two transfer windows, while the maximum loan period will be one year.

FIFA hopes the new regulatory framework, delayed by two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, will help with player development and promote more competitiveness.

The regulations could have a major impact on the likes of Premier League pair Chelsea and Manchester City, who currently have 21 and 14 players out on loan respectively.