Capping the numbers: Nigerian Timothy Anjembe of Hoa Phat Ha Noi plays in a V-League match at Ha Noi Stadium last year. — VNS Photo Quang Thang

HA NOI — The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) will limit the number of foreign players in the national football league from 2013 to help boost opportunities for local football talent, the federation's vice chairman Pham Ngoc Vien said in an interview.

Each team in the Super League (formerly known as the V-League) will be limited to recruiting three foreign players from next year, and only two of them will be allowed to play for their team at any given time.

Teams in the lower First Division will not be allowed to hire any foreign players from 2013.

"The limit on foreign players in the First Division championship will provide young players more opportunities to compete," Vien said. "The federation also requires teams in both the Super League and First Division to build their football training centres by 2014."

Vien, who helped draw up Viet Nam's professional football system in 2001, added that each Second Division team will have to include three young squads for competition in youth championships from 2013.

The vice chairman said teams that have yet to set up their own youth squads would receive a fine of at least VND200 million ($10,000).

"We want teams to invest more in training young talent rather than hiring foreign players or using training facilities abroad," he said.

There are over 100 foreign players playing for 28 teams in the Super League and First Division this year. — VNS