• FIFA plans to force clubs to field at least one Under-20 or Under-21 homegrown player in every match
• Current UEFA Champions League rules only require these players to be in the squad, not on the pitch
• The final decision will come after one year of talks with football officials worldwide

World football’s governing body wants to introduce strict new rules about young players. Clubs might soon have to include at least one homegrown star under the age of 21 in their starting eleven for every match.

The FIFA Council held a meeting on Tuesday night. They decided to prepare official plans within 12 months. First, they will ask for views from football people around the world.

At present, many big teams buy expensive players from other countries. They do not give chances to young footballers from their own youth setups. The new plan hopes to fix this problem. It would make sure that academy players get real minutes on the pitch.

This idea is tougher than current laws. For example, the UEFA Champions League forces clubs to name eight locally-trained players in their 25-man group. But these footballers do not need to play in the actual games. They can stay on the bench.

The new FIFA rule would change this. Teams would need to keep at least one qualified young player on the field during the whole clash.

Who counts as “locally trained”? The player must spend three full seasons at the club, or at another side in the same nation, between ages 15 and 21.

Clubs in the Kenyan Premier League and across Africa should watch this news carefully. They will need strong youth programmes if the rule becomes law.