After consulting FIFA and UEFA, the RFEF accepted Real Madrid and Getafe's inquiries to treat their African players as European Union workers.

The decision was based on the Cotonu accord, which was signed in Benin by the EU and the 77 members of the Association of African, Caribbean and Pacific states in 2000, and agreed to treat workers from those nations as EU citizens.

"From now on players from these countries that play in Spain will be considered as coming from the European Union as will those that sign in the future," RFEF spokesman Jorge Carretero was quoted as saying by Spanish daily Marca on Saturday.

The move could open the door for more African footballers to play in one of Europe's top league competitions, which has a three-man limitation for non-EU citizens.