MOSCOW (AP) β The Russian government will bring in tough restrictions on the number of foreign players in the country’s top soccer league in order to develop home-grown players for the 2018 World Cup.
In comments reported by Russian agency R-Sport, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko says he will “cut back on foreign players in a very tough way.”
His comments come after a bill allowing the sports ministry to limit foreign players in team sports passed the first of three readings in the lower house of parliament last week.
Current Russian league rules allow clubs to field up to seven foreigners at any time, which Mutko said was crowding out Russian talent.
