Livida Sport: A Global Guide to Football Transfers - Second Edition - Manual / Resource - Page 12
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Elite Significant Contribution (ESC)
In 2023, The FA revised its GBE rules, allowing clubs to sign a limited number of players
who previously could not secure visas under the GBE criteria. Instead, these players must
meet the new ESC criteria.
To qualify as an ESC player, The FA requires one of the following:
Participation in at least one competitive youth or senior international match for a
nation ranked in the FIFA top 50 (aggregated over 12 months for youth players);
Participation in at least five competitive youth or senior internationals for a nation
outside the FIFA top 50 (aggregated over 12 months for youth players);
Participation in at least one continental youth or senior competition match; or
Participation in at least five domestic youth or senior competition matches.
Premier League and Championship clubs are allowed a maximum of four ESC players per
season. This number can vary based on the number of playing minutes English players
receive in matches, incentivising clubs to give more playing time to their English talent.
Interestingly, League One and League Two clubs (the third and fourth tier of English
football) are also allowed ESC players, up to a maximum of two per club.
The Home Grown Player Rule
In addition to a player9s immigration eligibility, clubs face restrictions on the number of
foreign players allowed in their squads. In England, each 25-player squad must include at
least eight 'Home Grown Players,' allowing for up to 17 players who do not meet this
criteria. A 'Home Grown Player' is defined as any player, regardless of nationality or age,
who has been registered with a club affiliated with the English or Welsh FA for three full
seasons, or 36 months, before the end of the season in which they turn 21.
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