Players Learn the La Liga Rules Regarding the Transfer, Promotion, Demotion and Non-EU

La Liga refers to the first division of the Spanish league. The professional top of the football league in Spain is officially called Liga BBVA as to the reason for sponsorship. Like other leagues La Liga is also guided by strict rules and regulations for the promotion and relegation of clubs and how many non-European players can play in the league.

 
Relegation promotion rules

Every year, 20 teams participate in the competition. The three teams finishing at the bottom of the league table are relegated to the second division of the Spanish league system, with the top two rankers in the next lower division and the winner of a play-off replacing demoted clubs.


Inclusion of non-EU players

There is an upper limit regarding the retention of non-European players in the first division of the Spanish league. In La Liga, each team is allowed to keep a maximum of three offshore players. Even in the second division, each participating clubs can keep on hand only 2 players. If a La Liga club is relegated to the lower division, it is allowed to keep hold of the same number of foreign players until their contracts expire.

Citizenship Claim

Foreign players are allowed to apply for Spanish citizenship of the countries where their ancestors descendants. In La Liga, a non-EU player can apply for Spanish nationality if he played in Spain for at least five years and may result in the triple citizenship. Players from ACP countries, including African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, are not considered against the non-EU category according to the Kolpak ruling.

Violation of rules of conduct

All La Liga clubs are obliged to respect the rules and regulations that clearly specified by the highest authority in the Spanish football league system, which, in turn, ensures compatibility with the guidelines established by FIFA, governing body of football in the world. Recently, Barcelona were handed the punishment by FIFA for failing to comply with the rules on the transfer of players after the alleged minor transfer of players (under 18).