Vélez considers AFA appeal over Boca’s six foreign players in Copa Argentina: what the rules say

Boca eliminated Vélez from the Copa Argentina on penalties, but the match may now continue in the offices of Argentina’s Football Association. The Liniers club is studying a formal complaint over Boca’s team sheet after a 0-0 draw that Boca won 4-3 in the shootout.

Boca listed six foreign players for the match at Córdoba’s Mario Alberto Kempes stadium: Ángel Romero, Carlos Palacios, Sebastián Villa, Álvaro Montero, Leandro Lozano and Enner Valencia. The regulations allow clubs to have up to six foreign players in their squads, but only five may be included on the team sheet for any individual match.

The case turns partly on Villa’s status. The Colombian previously held Argentine residency, which meant he did not occupy a foreign-player slot under the rule. That document has expired, however, and Villa has started the renewal process, with an appointment reportedly scheduled for October. Vélez believes he should have been counted as a foreign player when the match was played. Boca maintains that Villa meets the conditions for one of the exceptions and that his inclusion was valid.

The club’s possible complaint would focus on an administrative irregularity rather than a competitive advantage during the match. Romero remained among the substitutes and never entered the field, meaning Boca did not have six foreign players playing at the same time. If Vélez files the protest and the Disciplinary Tribunal finds a breach, similar cases suggest the likely outcome would be an administrative or financial sanction. Boca’s place in the quarterfinals would not necessarily be changed.