FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he hopes the rule, allowing teams to name only five foreign players in their starting XI, will be in place by the 2012/13 season.

His vision appears to be a step closer following the overwhelming backing at today's FIFA's annual congress in Sydney, Australia, with 155 votes in favour and only five against.

Although the European Union have branded the proposal "unacceptable" and "a non-starter", CONMEBOL general secretary Eduardo Deluca gave it the thumbs up.

"We totally agree with the regulation. We want to defend the national teams and the clubs," he said.

Deluca added: "We are against of all these national squads that are riddled with foreign players and also with the clubs who are almost fully made up of players from other countries.

"I think that helps to lose regional and national identity."

Blatter has pointed to the English 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."

Despite FIFA backing the plan, the European Commission has already indicated it would be illegal.

"The European Commission is showing a red card to the 'six-plus-five' rule," said European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla.

"This would be direct discrimination on the basis of nationality, which is unacceptable. It's a non-starter.

"Professional football players are workers, therefore the principle of non-discrimination and the right to free movement apply to them. If EU Member States allowed the application of the 'six-plus-five' rule they would be in breach of EU law and players who are discriminated against could take the Member States to court. And they would win."

FIFA's controversial proposal is different from a "home-grown players" rule proposed by UEFA, European football's governing body.

UEFA defines "home-grown players" as team members who, regardless of age or nationality, have been trained by their club or by another club in the National Association for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21.

The Commission has approved the UEFA arrangement because, says Brussels, it contains no player conditions based on nationality.

Spidla said: "Compared with the intentions announced by FIFA to impose the so-called 'six-plus-five rule', which is directly discriminatory and therefore incompatible with the EU law, the "home-grown players" rule proposed by UEFA seems to me to be proportionate and to comply with the principle of free movement of workers."

UEFA themselves have tentatively endorsed the FIFA proposal but while supportive of its objectives, are wary of the problems faced when it comes to enforcement.