Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

In today’s global football landscape, the game is increasingly shaped by the power of capital rather than the quality of production. Instead of establishing sustainable youth academies, clubs have fallen into the trap of seeking short-term success through high-cost international transfers. The heaviest price for this trend is paid by local players who cannot find the opportunity to showcase their potential, and consequently, by national teams. The solution to rescue football from this bottleneck lies in a “parity” and “domestic-focused” model that fundamentally changes not just the rules, but the philosophy of the game.

1. The Principle of “Parity” in Cup Tournaments

The greatest promise of national cup organizations is the spirit of competition and the resilience shown by lower-league teams against top-tier giants. However, the current regulations—where a Super Lig team can field 11 foreign players against a lower-league side with none—make this struggle technically impossible.

The Proposal: A “Parity Model” should be implemented in national cups. When an upper-league team faces an opponent from a lower division, they must be subject to the foreigner regulations of that lower division for that specific match. For instance, if the opponent is a 2nd League team with no foreign player allowance, the Super Lig giant must also field a squad consisting entirely of domestic players. This rule would not only ensure fairness but also compel major clubs to keep their local rotations ready and of high quality.

2. A Global Mandate: FIFA and UEFA Level “Domestic Leagues”

As the supreme governing body of football, FIFA should mandate tournaments exclusively for local players to preserve the universal quality of the game. Third-tier continental competitions (similar to the UEFA Conference League) should be reserved entirely for teams consisting of players who are nationals of that country.

• National Identity: This tournament would be built on “talent export” and “educational success” rather than “star imports.”
• National Team Pool: Local players competing together in high-level matches throughout the year would form the natural and ready backbone of their national teams.
• Global Balance: The gap between wealthy clubs and others would begin to close based on “system quality” rather than sheer financial might.

3. Overcoming Commercial and Political Hurdles

The primary obstacle to such a model is the current financial and political structure of football. Broadcasting strategies focused on “star players” and the visibility concerns of sponsors often take precedence over sporting development. Especially in certain markets, where the gears are turned by public bank sponsorships and media groups with specific political ties, the tournament remains a commercial product rather than a sporting success story.

However, it must be remembered that the emotional bond of a fan who does not see a player from their own community or neighborhood on the pitch weakens every day. In the long run, this loss of connection is what truly diminishes the value of the “product.”

4. Incentives and Economic Transformation

Changing a system requires not only regulations but also strong incentives. For clubs that cannot realistically compete for the league title against massive budgets, a “Domestic Player Cup” could offer a new vision.

• High Prize Pools: If the financial rewards for this domestic-focused tournament are brought to a level competitive with league championships, clubs will rationally shift their investments toward youth academies.
• Academy Clubs: Teams that adopt the approach of “I may not win the league, but I will win this cup and go to Europe” will transform into talent factories. This would be the greatest indirect contribution to a nation’s football ecosystem.

Conclusion

Football is a valuable social heritage that cannot be surrendered solely to an industry driven by money. FIFA and national federations must view the right of a local player to exist on the pitch as a “sporting right” beyond commercial interests. A system where cups are played under equal rules and where local talents clash on the European stage will not only save national teams but also return football to the people and the youth.

Aydın Tiryaki
Ankara, January 17, 2026

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A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)