In the Central League, the maximum number of foreign players that clubs can register at the same time is capped at three, while the number of foreign aiders who can play at the same time in a match is limited to two. Moreover, each club can register a maximum of four foreign players within each season.
Although the AFC has relaxed the restrictions on foreign aid registration, the current rules of the game still implement the "3+1" foreign aid policy, and the new "5+1" policy will not be implemented until the 2023-24 season. This will have little impact on the current Chinese soccer environment, so there is no need for the CFA and the CFF preparatory team to make immediate adjustments.
The U23 policy also remains unchanged, there is no limit to the number of registered U23 local players in the new season for each club in the Chinese Super League, but at least one U23 local player must be present in each match (unless the U23 player is sent off for a red card).
As for the transfer and registration of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan players, the 2022 season will continue to follow the CFA's regulations regarding the participation of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan players in the 2018 professional league, and each club will be allowed to bring in one player.
It is worth noting that the regulation does not specify the registration and transfer rules for naturalized and naturalized players, which may have something to do with the current reality of Chinese soccer. At least from the current situation, it is unlikely that Chinese Super League teams will continue to bring in naturalized players, in other words, it is unlikely that naturalized players will return to Chinese soccer. Some of the naturalized players' demands are too high, and it is difficult for Chinese Super League clubs to satisfy their "big-money" expectations given their actual situation. On the other hand, Chinese Super League clubs are not very likely to naturalize new players, and the key reason for this is that it is not cost-effective. In this context, the regulation re-emphasizes the issue of naturalized and naturalized players, which seems to be of little significance.
Of course, the previous provisions are still valid, that is, the naturalized players, with Chinese ancestry will be regarded as general local players, its registration and transfer will refer to the relevant provisions of the general local players; if the naturalized players do not have Chinese ancestry, only in the case of meeting one of the following conditions [one is the naturalization of the full five years; the second is to have the qualification to represent China's national team to play the competition formally] before the possibility of the identity of the domestic players If a naturalized player is not of Chinese descent, he/she may only register as a domestic player if he/she meets one of the following conditions [i) he/she has been naturalized for five years; ii) he/she is eligible to represent the Chinese national team in official matches].
In a way, this rule has actually put an end to the so-called "naturalized players". (By Ma Dexing, all-media reporter, Sports Weekly)
