Explore Arsenal’s squad registration and UEFA regulations as they prepare for the Champions League, with insights on age limits, deadlines, and training criteria.

• A look at Arsenal’s current squad status with 20 fit players, and their adherence to UEFA regulations.
• UEFA regulations on age limits, deadlines, squad size, and criteria for local and association-trained players.
• Considerations for upcoming signings and the impact of the World Cup on Arsenal’s early season.

With the tournament starting in two weeks, let’s have a look at the regulations and how many players Arsenal can register for the Qualifying Round 1 and the subsequent rounds.

Currently, Arsenal have 25 professional contracts in the squad, plus three players on loan (Agyemang, Godfrey and Marckese).

There are five players currently with ACL injuries, with the latest one being the unlucky Teyah Goldie whose second ACL was revealed by Rob Holding.

The youngster has done her right knee, after coming back from her left knee’s injury.

Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Laura Wienroither and Leah Williamson are all at different stages of their comeback from the injury, and at some point in the season could be involved with the team.

You would expect Beth Mead to come back between now and the winter break for sure.

Right now, Arsenal have 20 players that are physically fit.

So what do the UEFA regulations say:

• Age Limit: Players who are 16 years of age by the end of the calendar year when the match is played are eligible to play.
• Deadline Date: List A has to be submitted online by the following deadlines:
  • 20 July 2023 (24.00CET) for all matches in the preliminary round;
  • 31 August 2023 (24.00CET) for all matches in round 1;
  • 5 October 2023 (24.00CET) for all matches in round 2;
  • 9 November 2023 (24.00CET) for all further matches from the first match in the group stage up to and including the final.
• Squad Size Limit: No club may have more than 25 players on List A during the season.

With 20 fit players, Arsenal should have no problems registering them all as well as any upcoming signings.

As a minimum, six places are reserved exclusively for “locally-trained players” and no club may have more than three “association-trained players” listed in these six places on List A. If a club has fewer than six locally trained players in its squad, then the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly.

For clarity the definition of club trained and association trained are:

The following players are club-trained:

• Club-Trained: Lotte Wubben-Moy, Kim Little, Jennifer Beattie, Naomi Williams, Leah Williamson, and Teyah Goldie (ACL injury).
• Association-Trained Players: Alessia Russo, Beth Mead (ACL injury).

Therefore, Arsenal have eight locally trained players and conform to the UEFA regulations.

Obviously, the five fit players will be included in the squad, which means Arsenal can register at least 24 players.

If they want to register 25 players, they would have to register Beth Mead, as she is the closest to return to the team.

To be complete on the subject, teams can register an unlimited number of players on the B-list: Each club is entitled to register an unlimited number of players on List B during the season.

The list must be submitted by no later than 24.00CET on the day before the match in question.

A player may be registered on List B if she is born on or after 1 January 2002 and since her 15th birthday has been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year. Players aged 16 may be registered on List B if they have been registered with the participating club for the previous two years without interruption.

For example, Naomi Williams, born in 2004, is eligible for the B list. But it would not really make sense to put her on that list, as it would mean one less club-trained player.

Considering Laia Codina has reportedly been signed and therefore should be on the list, we should have 21 players registered for Round 1.

• Goalkeepers (3): Zinsberger, D’Angelo, Williams
• Defenders (7) : Wubben-Moy, Beattie, Catley, McCabe, Maritz, Ilestedt, Codina
• Midfields (5): Little, Maanum, Wälti, Pelova, Kühl,
• Forwards (6): Hurtig, Foord, Gio, Russo, Blackstenius, Lacasse.

As mentioned, the 25-player list must be submitted to UEFA by the 31st of August. Arsenal might be looking to sign a defensive midfielder and a right-back to double up all the positions on the pitch. Should they get signed after 31st August, UEFA has handed a reprieve to the teams:

For the preliminary round, round 1 and round 2, a club may register a maximum of two new eligible players on List A after the above-mentioned deadlines. Such registration must be completed by 24.00CET on the day before the start of the mini-tournament or relevant first-leg match and the club’s association must confirm in writing that the new player is eligible to play at domestic level at this time.

If the registration of such a new player causes the number of players on List A to exceed 25, the club must remove a currently registered player to reduce the squad to 25 players again.

This is obviously not a problem for the Arsenal.

The qualifying round is a make-or-break situation early in the season, as going out early of the tournament after making the semi-finals would be a disaster.

The fact that some players are right now on the way back from the World Cup in Australia will make it hard to have a cohesive team comes the Linköping game.

It will certainly be an interesting challenge for Jonas Eidevall and his players.