The Homegrown Player Rule is an initiative of the English Premier League, introduced ahead of the 2010–11 season, designed to encourage the development of domestic players by requiring clubs to include a minimum number of homegrown players in their first-team squads. It forms part of the league's Elite Player Performance Plan.
Definition of a Homegrown Player
Under Premier League rules, a "Home Grown Player" is defined as a player who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association (FA) or the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for a period — continuous or not — of three entire seasons (or 36 months) before their 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which they turn 21). This definition means that a player does not need to be English to qualify; foreign-born players such as Cesc Fàbregas (Spain), Paul Pogba (France), and Héctor Bellerín (Spain) have all qualified as homegrown under these rules.
Squad Composition Requirements
Premier League clubs are permitted a maximum squad of 25 players over the age of 21. Within that squad, no more than 17 players may be non-homegrown. Consequently, in a full 25-player squad, at least eight players must meet the homegrown criteria. Clubs are not required to fill all 25 places; if a club has fewer than eight homegrown players, it must reduce its overall squad size accordingly (e.g., a club with six homegrown players may register a maximum of 23 senior players). Additionally, clubs may register an unlimited number of under-21 players outside the 25-man squad, regardless of nationality.
EFL (English Football League) Requirements
The EFL also maintains homegrown player requirements for its 72 member clubs across the Championship, League One, and League Two. EFL clubs are required to name a minimum number of homegrown players in their matchday squads. As of the 2018–19 season, this requirement was set at seven homegrown players per matchday squad, with an additional requirement for at least one "club-developed" player (a player registered with their current club for at least 12 months prior to the end of their under-19 season).
UEFA Homegrown (Locally Trained) Rules
UEFA applies its own "locally trained player" rules for clubs competing in the Champions League and Europa League. Under UEFA regulations, clubs must designate a minimum of eight locally trained players in a 25-man "List A" squad, of which four must be "club-trained" (registered with the club for three seasons between ages 15 and 21) and four "association-trained" (registered with another club in the same national association for the same period). If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players, the maximum squad size is reduced accordingly. UEFA's rules differ from the Premier League's in certain respects; for example, Welsh players such as Ben Davies, who qualify as homegrown under Premier League rules, may not count as association-trained under UEFA rules because they trained with a Welsh club (Swansea City) rather than an English one.
History and Rationale
The rule was introduced as part of a broader effort to increase the number of domestic players in the Premier League and to improve the quality of the England national team. In 2015, then-FA chairman Greg Dyke proposed strengthening the requirements, including raising the minimum number of homegrown players from eight to twelve (with at least two from the club's own academy) and tightening the definition so that players would need to have spent three seasons with an English club before turning 18 (rather than 21). These specific proposals were not adopted in full.
Impact of Brexit
Following the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union (effective December 31, 2020), a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) points-based system was introduced for all overseas players, including those from EU countries. This system assesses players based on factors such as the quality of their previous league, appearances, and international caps. Clubs have expressed dissatisfaction with the restrictiveness of the GBE system, arguing it drives up transfer prices. In response, new rules introduced in the summer of 2023 allow Premier League and Championship clubs to sign up to four overseas players per season who do not meet the standard GBE criteria, with the number of permitted slots tied to the club's record of playing English-qualified players. Since Brexit, clubs have also been unable to sign overseas players under the age of 18.
Practical Effects
The rule has contributed to inflated transfer fees for English-qualified players due to increased demand. It has also led to strategic squad management, such as the signing of homegrown backup goalkeepers to meet quota requirements. The rule does not guarantee playing time for homegrown players; it only governs squad registration.
