Football's world governing body today voted in favour of the "six-plus-five" rule, which would put a limit on the number of foreign players each team could field.

Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, has said he hopes the controversial rule will be in place by the 2012-13 season. His vision appears to be a step closer following the overwhelming backing at Fifa's annual congress in Sydney, Australia. The rule would limit every team to only five foreign players in their starting XI.

The Football Association have confirmed they voted in favour of discussing Fifa's six-plus-five rule proposal.

"Bringing through more high-quality English players in the future is an absolute priority for the FA," an FA spokesman said. "One of our reservations has always been that the 'six-plus-five' rule appears to contravene European law and we welcome further exploration of its legality.

"However, this is a question of balance and we believe first and foremost in a meritocracy system, where players appear in club teams based on performance and ability.

"This is at the core of our coach and player development strategy over the coming years."

Blatter has pointed to the Premier League's dominance in this season's Champions League as as example of why his organisation must implement the idea, despite legal concerns from the European Union.

Stressing Fifa would proceed "within the limits of the law", Blatter said this week: "It's to make sure that there is better balance in the competitions and not only three or four teams in a league of 18 or 20 are fighting to be the champion and all the others are just there to not be relegated.

"As [Newcastle manager] Kevin Keegan recently said: 'I can only start my season to fight to be fifth or sixth or seventh. It is impossible for me to go into the final four'.

"At the end of the Champions League in Europe you have in the quarter-finals four teams of the same association; in the semi-finals three of these teams. Then in the final you are surprised that you have two teams of the same association?

"We want to bring some remedies and this is the six-plus-five rule's objective."

Despite Fifa backing the plan, the European Union has already indicated it would contravene European laws. "We are giving the red card to the six-plus-five rule," Europe's commissioner for equal opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, said.

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