The 2026 Tonybet Virslīga season begins on Friday evening with RFS hosting newcomers Ogre United, and the opening fixture could feature up to four foreign nationals who count as domestic association trained players under league rules.
Virslīga regulations require each team to have at least three domestic players on the pitch at any time. That quota can be met either by Latvian citizens or by players of any nationality who spent three full seasons (or 36 months) in Latvian club systems between the ages of 12 and 21.
Auda’s 25-year-old Nigerian Alexander Ogunji is the first player in the league to attain such status through the academy pathway, while Senegalese striker Meissa Diop later earned the qualification during his time at Valmiera and is now with Riga FC.
RFS forward Ismaël Diomandé, from Côte d’Ivoire, became eligible last spring but he missed out much if the season due to knee injury sustained during Europa League qualifiers and returned to the pitch only in August. Daugavpils striker Artem Garzha, an 18-year-old Ukrainian who has represented the club in the UEFA Youth League, also reached the three-year mark in the summer and is considered a Daugavpils academy product. Garzha has yet to score in 15 Virslīga appearances, but is expected to play a bigger part this season.
Ogre United’s squad includes two more locally trained players in the form of 21-year-old Ukrainian twins Matviy Marusiy, a central defender, and Timofiy Marusiy, a central midfielder. The pair have also played in Latvian second tier for JDFS Alberts, Leevon PPK and Mārupē.
RFS have also added another name to the list, with 21-year-old Japanese wide midfielder Mikaze Nagasawa now qualifying as a locally trained player. Nagasava joined RFS back in 2023 and has scored five goals and six assists in his 55 Virslīga matches, including two consecutibe seasons on loan at Tukums.
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Source: https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/04032026-virsliga_krietni_pieaudzis_reglamenta_lat
