Indonesian league faces criticism for allowing clubs to use 11 foreign players each

Indonesia players sing the national anthem before the 1-5 loss to Australia in the 2026 World Cup at Allianz Stadium Sydney, Australia on March 20, 2025. Photo by AP

Under the new regulations, each Liga 1 team can register 11 foreign players and field eight per match. This is a change from last season, when teams could register eight foreign players, with six allowed on the field at the same time during each game.

Liga 1 general director Ferry Paulus explained that the change was made after clubs proposed the adjustment.

"The clubs felt that the old regulations were not sufficient. Moreover, we aim to compete at a higher level in Asia, so the foreign player cap of 11 was introduced," Paulus told CNN Indonesia.

Starting in the 2024-2025 season, foreign player limits have been lifted in the three Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments: AFC Champions League Elite (ACL), ACL Two, and AFC Challenge Cup. This change provides Southeast Asian clubs an opportunity to compete with more power in East Asia, as seen with Thai club Buriram United's historic run to the ACL quarterfinals.

With Indonesia national league ranked low in the AFC standings, the country only have one play-off spot for the ACL Two group stage and a direct qualification spot in the AFC Challenge Cup. Liga 1 organizers hope the increased foreign player quota will improve club performance and boost Indonesia's AFC rankings, securing more spots in top tournaments.

While APPI agrees that increasing foreign players could improve the tournament's overall quality by bringing in valuable experience, the association is concerned that local players will suffer from reduced playing time. This could hinder the development of local talent and their ability to compete at higher levels.

In a survey, APPI found that many Liga 1 players oppose the policy, which contrasts with the support from their clubs. With 198 local players potentially losing their spots, they may be forced to play in lower leagues or switch to amateur football. Indonesia's professional competition system currently consists only of Liga 1 and the First Division, with no cup tournaments.

APPI said that while increasing foreign players may benefit the quality of local talent, it must be done within a fair and balanced football scene. The association is calling for investments in developing facilities and improving the overall football ecosystem in Indonesia.

The association also expressed concern that the national team could suffer as a result of this policy.

"Coach Patrick Kluivert said that players need regular game time at their clubs to be called up for the national team," said APPI president Andritany Ardhiyasa on the association's website. "Liga 1 seems to be going against Kluivert’s principle of prioritizing the quality of the league to benefit the national team."

In Southeast Asia, Liga 1 is not the league that allows the most foreign players for clubs. Starting in the 2025-2026 season, the Malaysian Super League (MSL) will allow each team to register up to 15 foreign players, with 9 allowed on the field per match. This structure will ensure that each team has four foreign players of all nationalities, one Asian player and two Southeast Asian players. Last season, MSL clubs were allowed to register 9 foreign players, with teams in the ACL Elite and Two allowed to register 12.

In Thailand, the Thai League 1 will allow each team to register 7 foreign players of all nationalities for the 2025-2026 season, with no limit on Southeast Asian players.

Vietnam's V. League will limit teams to 4 foreign players per match in the next season, with clubs competing in international tournaments allowed to register up to 7 foreign players. The league is still discussing whether to allow all four foreign players on the field or use a combination of three on the field and one as a reserve.