What is the Under-23 rule?

Under NSL Handbook Rule 35, which applies only to the Championship (National First Division):

• Every team sheet must include at least 5 players who are Under-23 and eligible to represent South Africa.
• At least 2 Under-23 players must be on the field at all times.
• An Under-23 player is one who turns 22 on or after 1 January of the year the season starts. For 2026/27, which started in 2026, that means players born on or after 1 January 2004.
• It is not a breach if a team has used all its substitutions with only 2 Under-23 players on the field and one or both are then injured or sent off, leaving the team with 10 or fewer players.

The rule does not apply in the National First Division qualification competition, cup competitions involving both divisions, the promotion play-off or replacement competitions.