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FIFA's new rule and its impact on Spanish clubs: Who will be forced to change?
2026-04-30 00:00:22 / SPORT
FIFA is considering the possibility of creating a new rule that would force all teams to have at least one player under 21 who has been trained in the lower categories of the respective club. This proposal, which aims to promote and develop football academies, could cause profound changes in the strategies of clubs, especially Spanish ones. If this norm were to come into force immediately, many teams would find themselves faced with the need to restructure their squads to meet FIFA's new requirements. This analysis examines how the main Spanish clubs would be affected by such a decision, identifying those that are prepared and those that would encounter difficulties.
Several Spanish clubs would be well-covered thanks to their strong academy policies. Barcelona, for example, would have a competitive advantage, with players like Cubarsí (18), Lamine Yamal (18), Bernal (18) and Gavi (21), all of whom are academy products and already established in the first team. Villarreal would also easily meet the quota with Pau Navarro, a 21-year-old academy player who has become a mainstay of the team. Real Sociedad would maintain their usual line-up, relying on Jon Martín, 19, another Zubieta product who fits perfectly into these requirements and has attracted interest from many clubs after a spectacular finish to the Copa del Rey. Celta Vigo, known for their commitment to the academy, have Fer López (21, although on loan from Wolverhampton) and El Abdellaoui (20) in their squad to comply with FIFA's goals. Betis would have breathing space thanks to Ángel Ortiz (21 years old) and Pablo García (19 years old), two academy players who have shown that they can get more minutes. Osasuna would strengthen its “rojilla” identity by relying on young local talents such as Osambela (21 years old) and Arguibide (20 years old), both from the academy. Athletic Bilbao would fit perfectly into this norm thanks to Selton (18 years old), a talented academy player. Rayo Vallecano could fulfill the norm by giving an opportunity to Becerra, 19 years old, formed at the club. Elche, despite losing Mendoza, could rely on Boayar (20 years old), an academy player. Girona would have Joel Roca (20 years old), also from the academy, its new representative. Levante would be well covered with Espí and Tunde, both 20 years old and formed at the club, giving them flexibility and continuity. Espí, one of the latest discoveries, has consolidated himself as the most important player in the Valencia team. Finally, Oviedo would rely on Pablo Agudín, 18 years old and an academy player, as the main asset to meet FIFA's requirements.
On the other hand, some clubs would face immediate problems. Real Madrid, for example, would have a difficulty since Gonzalo has just turned 22 and does not meet the FIFA criteria. In this situation, the figure of Thiago Pitarch, 18, appears, who represents the future of “La Fábrica” and could be the solution. Atlético Madrid would have it more complicated: Barrios is already 22, while Mendoza and Vargas, both 20, do not meet the requirement to be academy players. However, the two young defenders, Julio Díaz and Boñar (20), would benefit from such a FIFA decision, giving them greater opportunities. Valencia would find themselves in a delicate situation, since the pearl Otorbi (18) meets the age limit but has not had minutes in the first team, which would force the club to accelerate his integration. Getafe is one of the teams that would be forced to act, as they could not meet the norm. There would be new alternatives such as Davinchi (18 years old) and Liso (21 years old), but neither of them is a product of the club's academy. Sevilla would also face a delicate moment, especially for academy players. However, Manu Bueno, 21, has made very good impressions in the minutes given to him by the new coach, offering a possible solution.
Several clubs would be among the most affected by this new norm. Espanyol would be directly excluded from the norm in its current state, as El Hilal, although an academy player, is already 22 years old and would not have a clear alternative mentioned. Alavés would be one of the clubs most affected, as they do not have any players who meet the requirements, which would force them to urgently call up some talent from the second team. Mallorca would also have problems, as David López, despite being an academy player, has already turned 22, remaining outside the criteria and leaving the team with no clear options. This club would also be forced to look to its academy for a solution.
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