Degtyaryov: Five Foreign Players Allowed in RPL from 2028
Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov announced a decision to tighten the limit on foreign players in Russian football. From 2028, no more than five foreign players will be allowed on the field simultaneously.
Feb 4, 2026 0
At the «Knowledge.State» forum, Russian Sports Minister and head of the Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyaryov announced the inevitable introduction of stricter restrictions for foreign footballers in the country«s championship. He emphasized that the state has made a final decision on this issue.
On January 23, Degtyaryov stated: «We have tightened the limit. The state has a tool. How many foreigners will be on the field, should a tax be imposed on foreign participation, how will academies function? The state has one decision — an order. There will be five foreign footballers from 2028, period.»
According to the new rules, from 2028, the Russian Premier League will implement the scheme «10 foreign players in the squad — 5 on the field». Currently, clubs have the right to include up to 13 foreign players in the squad and simultaneously field up to eight.
Analysis of the current season shows that the current limit of eight foreigners on the field has not led to a reduction in playing time for Russian footballers. They spend about 56% of time on the field, which is comparable to the period when the stricter rule of «6 foreigners on the field» was in effect. At the same time, the share of players under 23 has increased, and the average age of debutants in the league has decreased. The Russian Football Union and clubs note that most teams already fit within the proposed «10+5» formula and believe that further tightening of the limit will not necessarily directly affect youth development.
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