Worldwide, the number of foreign players a team can field in a competitive domestic fixture is regulated and that is no exception in Uganda.
In the recent past, the Federation of Uganda Football Association through Article 19 (2) (V) required each team to field only three foreign players in a local competitive match.
Clubs like Vipers SC who have over five foreign players in their squad complained about the rule citing the need to have a decent team during continental engagements as the driving factor to pitching talent outside the country.
However, last week the FUFA made amendments to that rule, allowing each team to field up to six foreign players in a single fixture with not more than one of them being a goalkeeper.
The amendment which came into play considering Uganda has a club in the CAF Champions’ League group stage, is a relief for Vipers SC and other clubs that are planning to beef up their squads with foreign talent, the near and long-term future.
Regardless, the one foreign goalkeeper per match-day squad-clause will still hurt Vipers who have a Congolese and Burundian as their first and second choice goalkeeper. This clause means the Venoms can only list one.
Regulating the number foreign based players is a move aimed at restoration of National identity of football clubs and it was first discussed in 1999.
FIFA fronted the idea of a 6+5 rule which required that, at the beginning of each match, each club must field at least six players eligible to play for the national team of the country of the club.
The idea was abandoned in June 2010 leaving countries to design their own rules regarding the number pf foreign players per club game.
