Fifa will consider a proposal to relax the rules on the naturalisation of players at its annual Congress and give its executive committee greater powers to suspend member federations.
The congress, where the main item is the presidential election between incumbent Sepp Blatter and challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam on June 1, will also be asked to rubber-stamp moves to tighten up on friendly internationals.
Soccer’s governing body will consider a suggestion that a player need only live in a new country for three rather than the current five years before he can play for its national team.
Fifa said the proposal, included in the congress agenda, had been made by the United Arab Emirates football association. — Reuters