Moldovan football reverses policy on player quota
The Executive Committee of the Moldovan Football Federation (FMF) has approved the reintroduction of a mandatory local player quota, requiring four Moldovan footballers to be fielded for the entire match.
This new policy will be rolled out phase by phase over three seasons.
In the upcoming 2026-2027 season, every club in the Moldovan Super League will be required to field two young Moldovan players for the entire match: one under the age of 21 and one under the age of 23.
The requirement will increase in the 2027-2028 season, obligating clubs to field three Moldovan footballers, with two still belonging to the specified age categories.
Starting with the 2028-2029 season, the full quota will be enforced, requiring each club to have four Moldovan footballers among the 11 players on the field, with at least one player remaining under the age of 23.
In a related move, the FMF Executive Committee also approved a significant increase in the foreign player registration fee. The fee for each international signing was increased by 5,000 euros, bringing the new cost to a total of 15,000 euros per player.
This decision marks a significant reversal of policy, as the FMF had canceled the limit for foreign players and the rule regarding a mandatory under-21 Moldovan player back in 2019.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
