UEFA: rules on homegrown players "not compatible with free movement rules of the EU" (CJEU)

"Systems in which homegrown players include not only those trained by the club at issue, but also those ofother clubs in the same national league, are not compatible with free movement rules," said Maciej Szpunar, Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), on 09/03/2023.

The Polish magistrate has issued his conclusions as part of a reference for a preliminary ruling at the initiative of the French-speaking Court of First Instance of Brussels (BEL) in a case opposing the Israeli player Lior Refaelov and his club Royal Antwerp FC (Jupiler Pro League) to the Royal Belgian Football Association (URBSFA) and UEFA. The former are disputing the latter's rules on homegrown players, which they consider "not compatible with free movement rules of the EU."

Since the 2008-09 season, UEFA has required football clubs to include a minimum of eight homegrown players on their European club competition squad list (which includes a maximum of 25 players). Homegrown players are defined as players who, regardless of their nationality, have been trained by their club or by…