RB Leipzig has been sanctioned by UEFA for the upcoming Champions League season. The Bundesliga club violated the rules on locally trained players and will therefore have to field a reduced squad.
The penalty concerns the so-called Local Player quota. UEFA regulations require that at least eight players in a Champions League squad be locally trained. This definition includes players who spent three full seasons with the club itself or within the country's football association between the ages of 15 and 21. A maximum of four of these eight slots can be filled by association-trained players, with the remainder needing to come from the club's own youth academy.
Why did RB Leipzig fail to meet the quota?
In RB Leipzig's current squad, only one player meets the criteria for being locally trained. That player is Lukas Klostermann. The 30-year-old defender joined the Saxony-based club from Bochum twelve years ago and has since completed the required development years. All other nominated players do not qualify as locally trained under UEFA statutes.
The club submitted a 24-player list for the group stage. That is one name short of the permitted maximum of 25. For the knockout phase, RB Leipzig may nominate a maximum of three additional players. UEFA explained its decision to Bild, stating it was "because the club does not comply with the 'Local Player quota' and thereby violates the regulations".
What does this season's squad look like?
Among the new signings who do not count towards the quota is Abdoul Koné. The 21-year-old French defender joined Leipzig from Stade Reims for a fee of 17 million euros. He suffered a right shoulder capsule injury but is now fit again. The team's current injury list includes Christoph Baumgartner, Rocco Reitz and Brajan Gruda. A complete overview of the personnel is available on our Squad page.
RB Leipzig will begin their Champions League campaign with this personnel restriction. The first group match takes place this coming Thursday in Como. Other opponents in the group stage include Manchester City, PSV Eindhoven, Donetsk, Lens, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Rotterdam.
How does the sanction affect the season?
The reduced squad size presents a tactical challenge for the coach and team, especially in cases of shortages due to injuries or suspensions. The current Bundesliga record shows the team's good form. RB Leipzig sits in 4th place in the table after one match with three points. The team won its first game of the season, scoring three goals and conceding none. The current table can be viewed on our Standings page.
The next milestone is a Bundesliga away fixture. RB Leipzig travels to face Werder Bremen on 5 September 2026, who are currently in 15th place. All upcoming fixtures are listed in the Fixtures calendar.
