AP

The world’s national soccer associations voted overwhelmingly in favor of introducing a rule to limit foreign players in domestic club competitions.

In a ballot at FIFA’s 58th Congress on Friday in Sydney, 155 associations voted in favor of supporting the idea of requiring clubs to start all matches with at least six players who are eligible for the national team.

Five associations voted against and 40 abstained.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter proposed the “6+5” rule, saying it would safeguard the national identity of clubs and national teams. It was unanimously endorsed Tuesday by FIFA’s executive committee.

But it has been opposed by some of Europe’s biggest and richest clubs and contravenes the European Union’s principle of free movement of workers.

The Congress backed the presidents of soccer’s world and European governing bodies “to explore all means within the limits of the law to ensure that these crucial sporting objectives be achieved.”