The 11 Foreigner Dilemma: Between Growth and Destruction

Source: https://assets.goal.com/images

PT Liga Indonesia Baru (PT LIB) just held its General Meeting of Shareholders (RUPS) on Monday, July 7, 2025. The meeting resulted in a number of decisions that will reshape the face of Indonesian football competitions, from another league name change, operator name change, to the most controversial decision, the changes to the foreign player regulation.

Previously, Liga 1 clubs were only allowed to register six foreign players (5+1, five free and one from Asia). Now, each team can (or indirectly, must) register 11 foreign players, with 8 in the matchday squad (DSP) and 6 allowed to play on the field at the same time.

As expected, this decision has sparked pros and cons. Not only among supporters but also among local players, coaches, and national football observers. And indeed, if examined more deeply, PT LIB’s step has two sides of the coin.

In theory, the presence of high-quality foreign players can raise the standard of competition. Clubs will be more motivated to find foreign players who can truly make an impact on the field, which could lead to improved league quality. This could also serve as a platform for knowledge and experience sharing between foreign and local players.

If all 18 clubs in Liga 1 (now renamed Super League) use their full foreign player quota, this opens up space for 198 foreign players. Automatically, 198 local player slots will disappear, as their positions are filled by foreign players. However, this could trigger a domino effect. Local players who no longer find room in Liga 1 will “drop down” to Liga 2 or Liga 3. Ideally, this can raise the quality of the lower leagues, as Liga 2’s minimum standard will also improve due to the influx of former Liga 1 players.

Another positive aspect from this decision concerns the increasingly irrational contract prices of local players. As we know, local players, especially those labeled as “stars”, command high salaries. Many clubs end up spending bloated budgets on wages, while team performance remains stagnant or even declines.

The regulation of 11 foreign players could help curb the inflated cost of local players. When clubs have more quality and competitive foreign options, the bargaining power of local players will become more realistic. This isn’t meant to weaken their position, but to allow clubs to build squads with healthier efficiency.

Another side effect, hopefully, clubs’ wage expenditures will become more rational and not accumulate financial burdens that end in the classic drama of delayed salary payments. If clubs can restructure wage systems, it would also help the financial sustainability of the league.

The problem is, all these benefits will only materialize if and only if Liga 1 clubs do not carelessly recruit foreign players. If they just pick randomly to fill quotas, the outcome will be zero, and it will even kill the careers of potential local players.

The next issue is the limited number of available competitions. Liga 1, Liga 2, Liga 3. That’s it. There are no additional tournaments like a cup or Copa Indonesia, or any similar competitions outside the league. Age-group categories also lack full-season tournaments. The currently running EPA only provides 20–28 matches in total. This could lead to displaced local players losing their platform altogether.

If we look at England, clubs have the chance to play in three competitions, Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup. With so many tournaments, players who don’t feature in the league can still play in the cups. In Indonesia, forget cup competitions , even Liga 3 operates like a short tournament.

So it’s reasonable that concerns are arising among players. Data from APPI (Indonesian Professional Footballers Association) shows that most local players object to this regulation. Not because they fear competition, but because there’s no platform left to compete.

Continuing our comparison with the Premier League, they have key rules like the homegrown quota and the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), also known as a work permit. Premier League clubs may only register a maximum of 25 players in the first team, eight of whom must be homegrown, players trained at a UK club academy for three years before the age of 21. Interestingly, homegrown status isn’t based on nationality, but on development. A player may be Belgian, French, or Nigerian, but if he was trained at a UK club academy for three years before turning 21, he is still considered homegrown.

From this, we can see that the Premier League still preserves space for academy-developed youth players. The main goal is to encourage clubs not to abandon youth development. There is a long-term responsibility placed on each club. There is protected space, and a system that mandates youth development , not just moral appeals.

Beyond that, Premier League is also strict in accepting foreign players. Since Brexit, they have applied the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) or points-based work permit system. Players from outside the UK must meet several criteria, such as regularly appearing for a top-50 FIFA national team or collecting at least 15 points based on factors like the league they come from, minutes played, and transfer fee. If they fail to meet the criteria, they are immediately denied a work permit. The goal is clear, to maintain the league’s high quality.

Compare this with Indonesia, which now allows clubs to recruit 11 foreign players without a rigorous selection system. There are no restrictions based on the quality of the league they came from, playing time, or even their country’s FIFA ranking. The risk of an influx of “random foreign players” is very high. While England builds systems to keep unqualified foreign players out, we open the floodgates without a filter. The ones who suffer most? Our local players.

If we browse the internet or social media, one of the narratives being pushed is that this regulation could “force” local players to pursue careers abroad. But let’s be realistic, how can players be noticed by foreign clubs if they’re only sitting on the bench?

Ideally, players can go abroad if they stand out, are consistent, and have enough playing experience, not just because they’re young, but because they perform well. Too often, the narrative that “they can go abroad because of youth category” is pushed without acknowledging the harsh reality that youth development in Indonesia is still severely lacking. The Elite Pro Academy (EPA) is just a short-term tournament, not a full-season league.

The narrative of “pushing local players to compete” also sounds good on the surface, but weak at its core. How can we ask two people to race if one of them already starts 20 meters ahead?

Foreign players, in terms of physicality and early development, are already far ahead. This doesn’t mean we’re degrading local players, we just need to be honest about the reality. Our league isn’t Europe, and our system isn’t like Japan or South Korea.

If we truly want to push local players to compete healthily, then we must provide fair infrastructure, playing time, training, tiered competitions, and a supportive environment. Without all of that, the competition we create will only result in frustration, not progress.

But the rice has already become porridge. The 11 foreign player regulation has been ratified. It can’t just be cancelled. So the best solution now is to add some toppings to make it palatable for everyone.

First, PT LIB and PSSI must revive a cup or copa like Copa Indonesia as an official competition, not just an annual talking point. This can be an alternative platform for local players to get minutes. Though not equal to regular league games, it at least adds another stage.

Second, Liga 3 must improve its format to become a full league, not a short-term tournament. If Liga 1 and Liga 2 are flooded with local player exodus, Liga 3 must be ready to serve as a serious second-tier development platform.

Third, there must be additional regulations regarding foreign player qualifications, not just quantity, but also quality. For example, requiring a minimum of top-flight experience in a specific country or international caps. Without this, clubs will remain tempted to sign cheap foreign players whose quality is no better than local ones.

The 11 foreign player regulation can be a step forward, but only if managed with long-term vision. Otherwise, what we’ll harvest won’t be quality, but confusion. And the biggest losers will be our local players.