A court in Brussels has rejected a legal challenge by Royal Antwerp and footballer Lior Refaelov against rules requiring clubs to include a minimum number of homegrown players in their squads. The court found that the regulations did not break European Union law and could remain in place.
The case focused on rules introduced by European football authorities and the Belgian football association. These rules aim to encourage clubs to develop young players through local training systems rather than relying only on transfers from other teams.
Royal Antwerp and Refaelov argued that the requirements limited the ability of professional clubs to recruit and field players. They said the rules could restrict competition and conflict with the free movement of workers across the European Union.
The legal challenge sought to overturn an arbitration decision from July 2020. That earlier decision had found that the Belgian football association’s rules were compatible with EU law.
The Court of Justice of the European Union had previously said in 2023 that homegrown player rules could potentially conflict with EU law. However, it left national courts to examine whether the rules were justified and proportionate in specific cases.
The Brussels court decided that the regulations served legitimate goals. These included supporting youth development and reducing the influence of financial power in professional football.
Under UEFA rules introduced for the 2008-09 season, clubs must include at least eight homegrown players in a 25-player squad. The Belgian football association introduced similar requirements in 2011. Its rules require clubs to have eight players trained by Belgian clubs, with at least six included in the matchday squad.
The court accepted that these requirements can place some limits on competition. However, it found that the restrictions did not go beyond what was needed to achieve the stated goals.
The ruling also addressed concerns about foreign players. The court found that the evidence did not show a disproportionate effect on players from other countries. It noted that a foreign player who received training in Belgium could also qualify as a homegrown player.
The decision is important for clubs that invest in youth academies and local player development. It supports the idea that football organisations can create rules to encourage young talent, provided those rules remain proportionate and comply with wider European law.
Royal Antwerp’s challenge has now been rejected at this stage. The ruling allows the homegrown player requirements to remain part of the football system while continuing to shape how clubs plan their squads and develop young players.
