Appearing in the continent’s top club competition would represent a significant advancement for Arsenal’s prodigious talent, Max Dowman.
The midfield maestro, aged 15, is second only to his Gunners teammate Ethan Nwaneri in the list of the youngest individuals to feature in the Premier League, a feat achieved with his debut against Leeds the previous month.
Mikel Arteta’s decision to include Dowman in a Premier League match came as soon as regulations permitted, stipulating that players must be 15 by the end of the month the season commences. This rule barred him from participation the previous year, despite consistent training with the senior squad. But what stipulations govern Champions League eligibility?
Can Max Dowman play for Arsenal in the Champions League?
In contrast to the Premier League, the Champions League has no lower age restriction for its participants.
Youssoufa Moukoko currently holds the distinction of being the youngest player to participate in a Champions League game. He was 16 years and 18 days old when he played for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit St Petersburg in December 2020.
Lamine Yamal of Barcelona holds the record as the youngest player to be named in the starting XI of a Champions League match, having achieved this against Porto in October 2023 at the age of 16 years and 83 days.
Yamal also boasts the title of youngest participant in a knockout stage match, playing against Napoli four months later at 16 years and 223 days old.
Born on December 31, 2009, should Dowman participate in any of Arsenal’s initial half-dozen group stage matches, he would surpass Moukoko’s record.
He has additional time to aim for Yamal’s record as the youngest starter, and he would automatically claim a new record for the knockout rounds should he feature for Arsenal beyond the group stage.
A stipulation exists: Arsenal must register Dowman as a senior team member due to UEFA’s classification of youth players.
Clubs must submit a list of 25 players for ‘List A’ prior to the competition’s commencement – the deadline occurred at midnight on Tuesday (September 2 leading into September 3). However, as of this writing, Arsenal has yet to make their list public.
An unlimited number of players born on or after January 1, 2004, can also be named on ‘List B,’ and clubs can continually add players to this list throughout the Champions League season.
However, to qualify for List B, a player must have been eligible to play for the club for a minimum of two years following their 15th birthday; Dowman is currently less than a year past his 15th birthday.
