The world's football associations meeting in Sydney on Friday endorsed FIFA President Joseph Blatter's proposal to limit the number of foreign players on club teams.

In a vote at the 58th FIFA Congress, 155 associations were in favour of the rule, five against and 40 abstained.

The resolution empowered Blatter to work with European football boss Michel Platini to ensure that in starting sides there are at least six homegrown players and no more than five foreigners.

Blatter and UEFA head Platini are enjoined to explore "all possible means within the limits of the law to ensure that these crucial sporting objectives are achieved".

Football Federation Australia head Frank Lowy backed the resolution.

"We have a problem that we are losing lots of players," Lowy told delegates from the 200 countries represented.

"These young boys between 18 and 20 go to these countries, get nowhere, get disappointed and they lose football. We know that we are a growing football nation, and we need all the players we can get."

The difficulty FIFA faces is having the proposal approved by the European Union, which in 1995 issued the landmark Bosman ruling, which forced football to end all foreign-player restrictions.

Blatter was scheduled to meet European Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering on June 5 in Brussels to discuss the issue.