CFA announces new rules for homegrown players and cup matches

On May 13, the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) board announced regulatory changes regarding player eligibility. Starting from the 2026-2027 season, teams in the Coca-Cola Cup must include at least one player in their starting eleven who is eligible for the Cyprus national team and is under 23 years old. If substituted, this player must be replaced by another eligible player under 23. Teams failing to comply will be disqualified from the tournament, and those committing the violation in semi-finals or finals will face a €50,000 fine. Furthermore, players who acquire Cypriot citizenship will be classified as homegrown for the two-player quota rule if they have been included in four consecutive national team call-ups and played at least two matches. Established international players like Anderson Correia and Joel Mall meet these criteria, whereas others like Fabiano and Roberge do not, as they lack the required consecutive call-ups.