By Bosphorus News Sports Desk
Türkiye is working on a proposal to allow footballers from Turkic countries to play under domestic player status rather than count against foreign-player quotas, AK Party Deputy Chairman Kürşad Zorlu announced on October 9.
The initiative could expand provisions already in place under Turkish Football Federation (TFF) regulations. Five Turkic republics currently benefit from limited exemptions, but those rules do not give all their footballers unrestricted domestic status.
Zorlu, who oversees the AK Party's relations with Turkic states, unveiled the proposal at the Turkic World Youth Gathering in Kocaeli. He said he had discussed the initiative with TFF President İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu.
Kürşad Zorlu | AK Party Deputy Chairman
"We are beginning work to move footballers coming to Türkiye from the Turkic world out of foreign-player status and into Turkish status."
Five Turkic Countries Already Have Special Provisions
The TFF introduced an additional registration allowance for the 2023–2024 Süper Lig season, covering players from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Clubs could register one footballer from those countries beyond the standard foreign-player quota.
The 2026–2027 Süper Lig Competition Statute retains that allowance only as an acquired right for players registered under the original arrangement. Annex 2, Article 1(3) permits those footballers to remain on club lists until their existing contracts expire.
A contract renewal or transfer to another club ends the protection, bringing the player under the ordinary foreign-player rules.
The current statute contains another provision for younger footballers from the same five countries. Under Annex 2, Article 4(2)(c), players born on or after January 1, 2006, who have been registered with the same club for at least three seasons or 36 months from age 15 may be included on the match-day list.
These provisions provide limited routes for Turkic-state players but do not amount to a general exemption for new signings.
Zorlu's proposal could remove some of those restrictions. Its precise scope, including whether it would cover additional countries or apply across Türkiye's professional divisions, has not been announced.
The TFF's current regulations allow Süper Lig clubs to register up to 14 foreign players, at least four of whom must have been born on or after January 1, 2003, when the full allocation is used.
A Turkic Cup Every Two Years
Zorlu also announced plans for a football competition provisionally called the Turkic Cup, bringing together participating Turkic states every two years.
The TFF and Türkiye's Ministry of Youth and Sports would work on the project.
Zorlu linked the proposed tournament to developing young players across the Turkic world, with a particular emphasis on identifying talent and strengthening national teams through youth development.
The competition would be separate from Türkiye's existing domestic cup. Its participating teams, format, host arrangements and first tournament date have yet to be announced.
Federation Decision Still Pending
The new player-status proposal remains at the consultation stage. The TFF has not announced an amendment implementing the broader exemption.
Any change would need to specify which nationalities qualify, how clubs register eligible players and whether the new status applies to existing contracts, future transfers or both.
Domestic registration status would remain separate from Turkish citizenship and FIFA eligibility to represent Türkiye internationally.
Süper Lig clubs now await the TFF's decision on whether the existing contract-based and youth-development exemptions will be replaced by a broader rule for footballers from Turkic countries.
Sources: Turkish Football Federation, Anadolu Agency, TRT Haber, Bosphorus News review and reporting.