3+1 rule for foreign players in AFC Champions League

KUALA LUMPUR: Next season’s revamped and lucrative AFC Champions League will introduce a 3+1 rule for foreign players, it was announced yesterday, while the final will be played in Japan.

The Asian Football Confederation said it had been decided to allow each ACL team to field a maximum of four foreign players, one of whom must be from an Asian country.

Japan’s J-League is introducing a similar system next season, and Asian football’s governing body are pushing other member associations to follow suit.

“I would love to see a Saudi player playing in Korea and a Korean playing in Saudi Arabia,” said AFC president Mohamed Hammam.

“By implementing this 3+1 rule, we are giving more chances for Asian players to play for other Asian clubs.”

The AFC also chose Japan as the host for the 2009 final, which will be played at a neutral venue for the first time.

On Tuesday, the AFC announced the prize money for next season’s revamped Champions League had been massively increased to US$14mil. The total budget for 2009 is US$20mil, dwarfing the US$4mil available for this year’s event. — AFP