Romanian FA approves Steaua name, youth cooperation rules

Steaua București FRF cooperation regulation U21 double registration junior competition reforms VAR identification rule

On 29 July 2026 the Executive Committee of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) voted unanimously to allow CSA Steaua to compete under the historic brand “Steaua București”. The same meeting granted ACSF Oradea the right to use the name “FC Bihor Oradea” and ACSM Reșița to use “CSM Reșița”. It also approved several activity transfers (cesiuni) that gave provisional federation affiliation to clubs previously unaffiliated.

The FRF adopted a new Regulation of Cooperation between Superliga (Liga 1) and Liga 2 clubs. The regulation defines partnership conditions, sets a maximum of five eligible players per Superliga club, limits eligibility to players born on or after 1 January 2004, fixes the contract‑duration to one season and places payment responsibility with the principal club.

A “double‑registration” (dubla legitimare) system for U21 players was introduced, allowing up to three U21 players from a Superliga club to also appear for its Liga 2 partner, with strict minute‑allocation rules (over 60 min, 30‑60 min, under 30 min) and sanctions for breaches.

Junior competitions received new measures: expanded disciplinary procedures for parents and supporters, organization of a “Silent Day” where only players may speak, and scoring restrictions in U13/U14 Elite Leagues that limit goal‑scoring opportunities when the score gap exceeds certain margins.

Finally, the FRF clarified its VAR protocol, stating that the “identification‑error” rule used at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will not be applied in Romanian leagues, while VAR may still intervene in corner‑kick and free‑kick errors. All decisions were recorded in the official minutes of the 29 July meeting.

Entities: CSA Steaua · CSA Steaua / Steaua București · Liga 2 · Liga 2 (Romanian second football division) · Liga 2 clubs · Romanian Football Federation (FRF) · Romanian youth national football teams · SuperLiga · Superliga (Liga 1) clubs · Superliga (Romanian top football division) · U21 players · UEFA

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Cooperation contracts last one season and can be terminated unilaterally with written notice. (FRF)
[○ 1 SOURCE] If a player plays more than 60 minutes for the principal club, he must wait three days before playing for the partner club; 30‑60 minutes requires a one‑day gap with a maximum of 45 minutes; under 30 (FRF)
[● 3 SOURCES] Eligible players must be born on or after 1 January 2004, under contract with a Superliga club, and eligible for Romanian youth national teams. (FRF Regulation)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The principal club remains responsible for paying all remuneration and financial rights of the players. (FRF)
[● 3 SOURCES] Each Superliga club may partner with only one Liga 2 club per season. (FRF Regulation)
[● 3 SOURCES] FRF Executive Committee approved a Regulation of Cooperation between Superliga and Liga 2 clubs. (FRF Executive Committee)
[● 2 SOURCES] The regulation aims to support development of young Romanian players by giving them senior competition experience while maintaining their contractual link to the parent club. (FRF)
[● 3 SOURCES] A partnership may include a maximum of five eligible players per Superliga club. (FRF Regulation)
[● 3 SOURCES] FRF approved multiple activity transfers (cesiuni) granting provisional affiliation to clubs previously unaffiliated with the federation. (FRF Executive Committee)
[● 4 SOURCES] FRF also approved ACSF Oradea to use the name “FC Bihor Oradea” and ACSM Reșița to use “CSM Reșița”. (FRF Executive Committee)
[● 4 SOURCES] FRF Executive Committee approved CSA Steaua's request to compete under the name “Steaua București”. (FRF)
[● 2 SOURCES] FRF announced it will not adopt the contested VAR “identification‑error” protocol used at the FIFA World Cup, aligning with UEFA. (FRF Executive Committee)