The UAE Football Association Tournaments Committee has given the green signal to its First Division clubs to sign three foreign players for the 2007-2008 season. Two foreign players will be allowed for Second Division clubs. According to Sayed Ali of Gulf News, the increase of foreign players to three from two is "a victory for the Abu Dhabi clubs, who have been seeking to add a third foreigner for a long time now." Although the FA was concerned about the financial strain of employing more foreign players, it also considered it will be required to permit five foreign players per club when the professional league is introduced in two years time.