FRF Changes the 5+6 Rule. Clubs Will No Longer Be Required to Comply in Every Match

The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) has modified the 5+6 rule for the 2026-2027 season. Clubs will no longer be required to comply with the rule in every single match, but in at least 75% of the games played during a season.

The decision was approved by the FRF Executive Committee following an analysis conducted together with UEFA.

Until now, the rule had to be respected in every match. Under the new format, the percentage will be calculated separately for the SuperLiga and the Romanian Cup.

How the New Rule Works

FRF has kept the core principle of the regulation.

During a match, at least five players trained nationally and eligible to represent Romania’s national teams must be on the field.

However, the federation has introduced greater flexibility for clubs that use young players.

A team that fields three U21 players for the entire duration of a match will automatically be considered compliant with the 5+6 rule.

If a club uses two U21 players throughout the entire match, it will only need two additional nationally trained players to meet the requirement.

The Fine Remains Unchanged

FRF has decided to keep the financial penalties in place.

Clubs that fail to reach the 75% threshold by the end of the season will be fined €150,000.

The federation announced that the money collected from fines will be distributed equally among the top five clubs in the final standings that complied with the rule.

Promotion/relegation play-off matches will not be included when calculating the final percentage.

Burleanu: “We Want to Expand the Player Pool for the National Teams”

FRF president Răzvan Burleanu says the changes are intended to increase the number of players eligible for Romania’s national teams.

“The 5+6 rule aims to encourage the growth in the number of nationally trained players eligible for Romania’s national teams and to expand the player pool through a stronger connection with the Romanian diaspora. We want to help bring back the children of Romanians who have moved abroad,” Burleanu said.

According to FRF, the new format gives clubs greater flexibility when building their squads while continuing to encourage the use of young players developed through youth academies.