Blatter plan gains support

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has gained the support of German Minister of the Interior Dr Wolfgang Schauble for his controversial 6+5 plan to increase the number of home-based players in European football.

Blatter is keen to introduce a system whereby at least six players who start any given match must be eligible to play for the national team of the country where they are playing, but that rule would appear to be in violation of current European employment laws.

On Thursday, Blatter led a delegation which included FIFA executive committee member Franz Beckenbauer to meet with Dr Schauble in Berlin to discuss the plans.

Dr Schauble expressed support for the plans, but said there remained work to do to reconcile the plan with European law.

“If autonomous sport wishes to introduce such a measure, we will help it to find a solution at European level,” he said.