New football season, new rules: more foreign players in Liga 1
The big bosses of PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB), Ferry Paulus and Asep Saputra, have some interesting plans for the upcoming season of Liga 1. They want to shake things up by proposing an increase in the number of foreign players allowed to participate in the league. According to Ferry Paulus, the Chief Executive Officer of PT LIB, this move is in line with AFC regulations and aims to boost the competitiveness of Indonesian football clubs at the Asian level.
Ferry revealed that currently, each club is permitted to have eight foreign players, with six of them eligible to play. However, they have submitted a proposal for the next season, suggesting that 11 foreign players be registered, with eight of them allowed to take the field simultaneously. The AFC regulations already allow for up to 11 foreign players to play, but the plan is to raise this limit to 11 for the 2026/2027 season in Indonesia, with all players eligible to compete. The goal behind this initiative is to level the playing field for Indonesian clubs when they compete in Asian leagues. Ferry believes that this move is necessary because local players are deemed too expensive, which has been a topic of discussion for quite some time.
The decision ultimately lies in the hands of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), and Ferry hopes for a resolution by the end of May regarding the number of foreign players allowed in Liga 1 next season. While Liga 2 will maintain a maximum of three foreign players per team, Liga 3 will remain foreign-player-free. Ferry also expressed his optimism for the next season, as he anticipates the return of several naturalized Indonesian players who have been competing in foreign leagues. He believes that the presence of these players will enhance the quality of Liga 1, bringing more excitement to the games. The prospect of these naturalized players gracing the fields of Indonesia is indeed a promising one, and Ferry is hopeful that it will soon become a reality.
