The Botswana Football Association (BFA) has implemented a new rule and regulation that prevents clubs from registering foreign players in the topflight League who have not yet represented their countries.
Local clubs can only sign foreign players with more than three international caps, according to a statement from the BFA.
Any international player who want to practice their craft in Botswana must have played at least three times for their respective nations, according to a BFA circular.
“This serves to inform all professional clubs that per Article 6.5.4 of Regulation on the Status and Transfer of Players,” said BFA acting C.E.O Tshepo Mphukuthi.
Mphukuthi added that a Foreign Player shall not be registered unless he has three or more caps in any of the National Teams.
The next 2023–24 football season will see the implementation of the rules.
BFA new rule to affect young players.
Because Batswana land is typically regarded as a less competitive league and provides an easy path to the top, the new restriction is expected to have an effect on more young and developing players who routinely come there to try their luck.
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The league now features a large number of foreign players who are not competent enough to compete in their home leagues, which is seen to be one of the primary causes of the Botswana national team’s historical underperformance.