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Chinese Super League (CSL) sides must field the same number of players under the age of 23 as they do foreign players from next season after new rules were issued by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Friday. The governing body met with clubs in Wuhan, where they also decided to implement the Video Assistant Referee system for the CSL for the coming campaign. Clubs in the CSL will be allowed to field a maximum of three foreign players for 2018 -- the same as in 2017 -- and if all three are fielded coaches must also select three under-23 players. The increase in the number of age-group players comes after the CFA forced clubs to start at least one U23 player in their starting line-up last season, with a number of coaches flouting the regulations by substituting the player within minutes of the game starting. Teams must field one U23 player next season, even if they do not field any foreign players. The move is a further attempt to ensure a pathway to first-team football for young Chinese players, who have in the past had their route to the starting line-up of clubs in the CSL blocked by foreign or veteran players. The country will host the AFC Under-23 Championship in Jiangsu province next month and hopes are high that the team will make a significant impact after national team coach Marcello Lippi included six U23 players in the squad he took to Japan for the East Asian Championships earlier this month. All six started at least two of the three games, with Shanghai SIPG's Wei Shihao the stand-out performer, scoring against South Korea in his debut for China before also netting against North Korea. Meanwhile, clubs will also be allowed to sign one player from Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau to their roster who will not count towards the foreign player quota.
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