Algerian Football Federation slams clubs over foreign player spending

The Algerian Football Federation has taken a hard swipe at clubs for their lavish spending on foreign players, despite official data showing these players account for just 34% of league match participation a figure dwarfed by the hefty salaries and costs clubs shell out.

In a statement released Tuesday after its Monday executive meeting, the federation highlighted league president Amin Maslouk’s presentation, which revealed that 125 registered players barely hit 20% of total playing time, while foreign stars stayed under 34%.

The federation didn’t hold back, blasting clubs for financial recklessness and urging a shift toward nurturing homegrown talent.

A German News Agency (dpa) survey of the Algerian Premier League backs this up 48 foreign players of 14 of the 16 top-flight teams. MC Alger, USM Alger, Olympique de Chlef, and ES Sétif lead the pack with five each, while JS Kabylie, CS Constantine, and MC Oran follow with four.

Chabab Belouizdad, Khenchela Union, and Biskra Union roster three apiece, and Paradou, ES Mostaganem, and Najm M’Kira settle for two. JS Saoura has one, while Mouloudia El Bayadh and Olympique Akbou opt for none.

Spanning 22 countries, these imports are mostly African, with Russia and Bolivia in the mix.