Clubs pushing for a phased removal of home-grown player rule

Proposals have been tabled by at least one of Gibraltar's major football league clubs calling for the phased removal of the home-grown player (HGP) rule.
The proposal, which is understood to have been circulated to all clubs, seeks support for a two-season phase-out of the regulation.
Under the proposal, the first stage would see the HGP requirement reduced from three players to just one for the forthcoming season. The rule would then be abolished entirely next summer, allowing clubs to field and replace players during matches without restrictions linked to home-grown player quotas.
The Gibraltar national team head coach has already suggested that such proposals would make his job more difficult when selecting players for the national squad, with local players likely to see their playing time reduced.
It is understood that the proposal would first need to be voted on by the clubs before any formal recommendation is submitted to the Gibraltar Football Association for consideration. The GFA would have the final say on whether any changes are adopted. The association has previously been reluctant to reduce home-grown player requirements any further.
With clubs receiving increased subsidies, which in some cases have helped them meet the criteria required to obtain domestic league licences, a reduction in home-grown player numbers could be viewed as counterproductive to the development of local football. This is particularly relevant in terms of creating a pathway for players into the national team, unless further safeguards or new regulations are introduced to provide stricter controls on player eligibility within the domestic league.
Rules requiring clubs to field home-grown players during matches are relatively uncommon across European football. Instead, most associations and competitions apply home-grown requirements through squad-registration regulations designed to encourage the development of local talent.
The English game provides one example of this approach. Premier League clubs are not restricted in the number of foreign players they can field in a match. However, squad registration rules limit the number of non-home-grown players who can be named in a 25-man squad, while additional work-permit regulations govern the recruitment of overseas players. Similar squad-based home-grown requirements are also used in UEFA club competitions.