What are the club roster guidelines?
For Isuzu UTE A-League clubs, there are a number of factors to consider when targeting a player for recruitment.
A club’s roster must consist of:
- A minimum 18 players and a maximum 23 players
- Within the 18-23 players that must be signed, clubs must have a minimum of two goalkeepers and a maximum of five foreign players
- This doesn’t include scholarship players of which clubs can sign 16
If your club is competing in the Asian Champions League, additional players can be contracted – but they are only eligible to participate in the ACL.
But some players are exempt from the cap…
Of the 18-23 players registered at each club, some may fall into certain categories making them exempt from the salary cap – meaning clubs do not have to include said player’s salary inside the set floor and ceiling of the cap.
The exemptions apply to:
MARQUEE PLAYERS: Each club can sign a maximum of two marquee players who are fully exempt from the cap.
GUEST PLAYER: Each club can sign one guest player who is fully exempt from the salary cap, and is only eligible for circa half the season but who must meet strict eligibility requirements.
DESIGNATED PLAYERS: ALM clubs are now able to sign two ‘designated players’ who must earn a salary between $300,000 and $600,000, and are also exempt from the salary cap.
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: Each club can have up to four ‘homegrown players’ fully exempt from the salary cap. However, these players must be Australian and aged under 23 that have come through the club’s youth system.
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