‘Nationality rule’ in question following exclusion of non-Chinese from Macau football team: FIFA

An amendment to the rules regarding eligibility for representative teams, which was adopted by the FIFA Congress on Sep. 18, 2020, is causing all non-Chinese nationals listed to play for the Macau Football Association (MFA) to become ineligible for the team. This information was confirmed to the Times by a FIFA representative based in Beijing.

The changes at issue pertain to the so-called “nationality rule,” which FIFA implemented to promote fairness and equal treatment among all stakeholders. The goal is to ensure that players have a genuine connection with the teams they represent and to prevent abuse of the system.

FIFA stated, “In adopting these reforms, FIFA developed the following core principles that underpin its eligibility rules: ‘no nationality, no eligibility.’ Eligibility must be based on objective criteria (i.e. the player’s nationality); all Member Associations (MAs) must be treated equally; there must be a genuine link between the player and the MA they intend to represent; cases of undue severity or hardship should be avoided; abuse (e.g. ‘nationality shopping’) should be prevented; and the sporting integrity of international competition must be protected.”

FIFA also highlighted that these reforms “followed a comprehensive working group process involving delegates from several member associations.” This group reviewed the entire regulatory framework and considered submissions from the MAs.

The new rules are also said to result from the “established practices which had developed over the course of more than 20 years of jurisprudence.”

In short, the nationality rule essentially means what is stated as the primary criterion for regulating player eligibility: “no nationality, no eligibility,” according to FIFA.

As first reported late last week by the Portuguese-language newspaper Jornal Tribuna de Macau, this means that four current players, along with one who was set to join the pre-selected squad for the MFA’s upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup qualifiers, are now ineligible to play because they are not of Chinese nationality. The players affected include Vitor Almeida, Iuri Capelo, Nicholas Torrão, and Filipe Duarte, as well as a fifth player whom Coach Lázaro Oliveira had considered for the team but who could not be added for the same reason.

FIFA vs Macau on nationality rules

Although much has been discussed about the new FIFA rules on player eligibility for representative teams, the issue has two sides, with the core problem lying in the rules for acquiring a Macau passport. According to the Identification Services Bureau (DSI), local regulations restrict the eligibility for a Macau passport to “applicants who fulfill all of the following conditions: [be] a permanent resident of the Macau SAR with Chinese nationality [and a] holder of a Macau SAR permanent resident identity card.”

The problem with the players stems from their failure to meet FIFA’s requirement for Chinese nationality, which can only be obtained under very specific conditions related to ancestry.

FIFA’s document on eligibility rules also clarifies in Article 6, paragraph 3, specifically in number 41, which outlines the criteria for representing multiple associations based on nationality. One of these “special cases” involves Macau. According to number 41.3, “Chinese nationality: China PR; Hong Kong; Macau,” players holding Chinese nationality are eligible to represent the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, or Macau, based on criteria including whether the player was born in the territory of the relevant association, whether their biological mother or father was born there, whether their grandparents were born there, or whether the player has lived there for at least five years.

Associations also have the option to amend this last criterion by either removing it or extending the time limit.

While FIFA’s criteria are indeed stricter than before, the main issue in the current Macau case revolves around the difficulties players face in acquiring Chinese nationality.

Consequences, immediately and in the long term

To assess the immediate and long-term impact on the local representative team, the Times interviewed an experienced football coach who has worked extensively in Macau’s football scene. At the interviewee’s request, their identity will remain confidential.

Regarding the current situation, the former coach told the Times, “This issue revolves around the nationality rule, which has seen some changes in recent years. From a coach’s perspective, you always aim to have the best possible group of players. However, these new rules provide a clear picture for the future, and I believe we need to quickly learn from this situation.”

The same interviewee added, “What I’m emphasizing is that according to this rule, only local players who hold or are eligible for a Macau passport will be able to join the teams from now on. This has become the new baseline and starting point.”

He continued, “What the MFA should do is start immediately identifying new talents who meet this profile and begin working with them so that, in a relatively short time, there will be a team ready to represent Macau effectively.”

Despite this clear path for the present and future, the professional acknowledged that challenges remain. “It might sound straightforward, but finding and developing new talent is not as simple as it seems. Nevertheless, it is essential to address this, or there will be no improvement.”

When asked about the real impact on the team from not being able to use the players in question, the coach responded, “I don’t think it’s a major issue. The significance of these players to the team’s overall performance is not that great… That’s honestly how I feel. Let’s consider this from an objective perspective, without personal attachments. Have these players made a significant difference over the years? Has Macau qualified for any rounds or achieved noteworthy performances because of them? I don’t believe so, and the results support that. This seems more like an emotional reaction than a reflection of their actual value to the team.”

He added, “I am still saddened that we’ve reached this point. Personally, it feels somewhat disrespectful, but that’s just our emotions speaking. Sports performance can be objectively measured, and I believe the Macau team will not suffer due to their absence. We might as well consider this as if they have retired and use their knowledge and experience to train a new generation of players. They certainly have skills and insights that could benefit future players, if they choose to help. However, dwelling on what’s lost will not solve any problems.”

Appeal from MFA is to ‘save face’

When asked about the MFA’s recent statement that they had appealed the decision to exclude the players, the coach remarked that he believes this is merely an attempt to “save face.” He added, “They knew there would be criticism for not addressing the problem sooner, which is not unusual. So, they are making the usual claims that they are doing their best and trying their hardest. I believe the appeal will likely be dismissed, as the rules are quite clear. Granting a special exemption would set a precedent that could lead to other associations seeking similar exceptions.”

The Cambodian example

Expanding on the topic, he referenced the situation in Cambodia.

“Facing a similar issue, the Cambodian Football Association is addressing it by including six new players in their squad for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers – Playoff Round. Of these six, three are naturalized players and the other three have Cambodian ancestry. Two of the naturalized players—Yudai Ogawa (Japan), Hikaru Mizuno (Japan), and Mohammed Faeez Khan (South Africa)—completed their naturalization process in August and July 2024, with Ogawa’s process finishing in October or November of the previous year. The three players with Cambodian ancestry are French-Cambodian Thierry Chantha Bin, New Zealander-Cambodian Lucca Lim (a young talent with great potential), and American-Cambodian Nick Taylor,” he detailed. “This demonstrates how other nations quickly adapt to rule changes, unlike in Macau, where the local sports community often suffers due to a lack of timely response and decision-making.”

The Times also reached out to the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) to inquire if they have faced any issues with FIFA’s new rules, given their similar status to Macau. However, no responses were received from HKFA by the time of publication.