diff --git a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
index aca149a..ff8064a 100644
--- a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
+++ b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/lib.rs
@@ -215,8 +215,13 @@ pub fn count_items(profile: &Profile) -> ItemCounts {
 
 // -------------------------------------------------------------- definitions
 
-/// Definition-level (per-card) fields. Owned copies of one `resourceId` MUST
-/// agree on these; instance fields (wire id, contract, fitness, …) are excluded.
+/// Definition-level fields carried per owned copy. The DEFINITION IDENTITY
+/// subset (`asset_id`/`version`/`rating`/`position`/`attrs`/`rareflag`) MUST
+/// agree across copies of one `resourceId`; `nation`/`league`/`team` are
+/// observed INSTANCE metadata that MAY legitimately vary per owned copy (a
+/// club-affiliation snapshot — evidence: `resourceId` 169193) and are EXCLUDED
+/// from the identity gate. Instance fields (wire id, contract, fitness, …) are
+/// not modelled here at all.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct DefFields {
     pub asset_id: Option<i64>,
@@ -327,6 +332,33 @@ fn def_fields(item: &Item) -> DefFields {
     }
 }
 
+/// The definition-IDENTITY projection of [`DefFields`]: the subset that MUST be
+/// identical across every owned copy of one `resourceId`. Deliberately omits
+/// `nation`/`league`/`team`, which are observed instance metadata (see
+/// [`DefFields`]) — a club-only difference between two copies is NOT a conflict.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+struct DefIdentity {
+    asset_id: Option<i64>,
+    version: i64,
+    rating: Option<i64>,
+    position: Option<String>,
+    attrs: Option<Vec<i64>>,
+    rareflag: Option<i64>,
+}
+
+impl DefIdentity {
+    fn of(f: &DefFields) -> Self {
+        DefIdentity {
+            asset_id: f.asset_id,
+            version: f.version,
+            rating: f.rating,
+            position: f.position.clone(),
+            attrs: f.attrs.clone(),
+            rareflag: f.rareflag,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Build the definition proposal from player cards, applying the
 /// resourceId-group consistency gate, entity resolution, and honest
 /// buildability. `approved_conflicts` are the ONLY conflicts allowed to defer.
@@ -347,12 +379,20 @@ pub fn plan_definitions(
     for (resource_id, items) in groups {
         let wire_ids: Vec<i64> = items.iter().map(|i| i.id).collect();
 
-        // 1) consistency gate.
+        // 1) consistency gate — compare DEFINITION IDENTITY only. A club-only
+        // difference (nation/league/team) between copies is observed instance
+        // metadata, never a conflict (evidence: resourceId 169193's 4 copies are
+        // identical but for club). `distinct` keeps only identity-distinct
+        // variants so a real conflict (differing rating/position/attrs/asset)
+        // still trips the gate.
         let first = def_fields(items[0]);
         let mut distinct = vec![first.clone()];
         for it in &items[1..] {
             let f = def_fields(it);
-            if !distinct.contains(&f) {
+            if !distinct
+                .iter()
+                .any(|d| DefIdentity::of(d) == DefIdentity::of(&f))
+            {
                 distinct.push(f);
             }
         }
diff --git a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/tests.rs b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/tests.rs
index 3c17522..fc016cb 100644
--- a/openfut-import-fifa17/src/tests.rs
+++ b/openfut-import-fifa17/src/tests.rs
@@ -319,6 +319,51 @@ fn emit_refuses_when_blocked() {
     assert!(emit_content(&rep, dir.path(), "x").is_err());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn club_only_difference_across_copies_is_not_a_conflict() {
+    // Two owned copies of one resourceId, identical in asset/rating/position/
+    // attributes but DIFFERENT nation/team/league (a club-affiliation snapshot).
+    // Evidence (resourceId 169193) says this is NOT a conflict: one definition,
+    // both preserved wire ids, display club from the first-observed copy.
+    let a = format!(
+        r#"{{"id":100000001,"resourceId":20801,"assetId":20801,"itemType":"player","rareflag":1,
+            "rating":94,"preferredPosition":"ST","nation":38,"teamid":243,"leagueId":53,"attributeList":{}}}"#,
+        attrs()
+    );
+    let b = format!(
+        r#"{{"id":100000002,"resourceId":20801,"assetId":20801,"itemType":"player","rareflag":1,
+            "rating":94,"preferredPosition":"ST","nation":45,"teamid":21,"leagueId":16,"attributeList":{}}}"#,
+        attrs()
+    );
+    let plan = defs(&[a, b]);
+    assert!(
+        plan.conflicts.is_empty(),
+        "a club-only difference must NOT be a conflict"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(plan.supported.len(), 1, "one definition");
+    let d = &plan.supported[0];
+    assert_eq!(
+        d.wire_ids,
+        vec![100000001, 100000002],
+        "both copies preserved"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(d.nation, "Portugal", "display club = first observed copy");
+    assert_eq!(d.club, "Real Madrid");
+    assert_eq!(d.league, "LaLiga");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn identity_difference_across_copies_is_still_a_conflict() {
+    // A differing rating is a real definition-identity disagreement -> conflict,
+    // never silently merged.
+    let plan = defs(&[
+        player(100000001, 20801, 20801, 94),
+        player(100000002, 20801, 20801, 90),
+    ]);
+    assert!(plan.supported.is_empty());
+    assert_eq!(plan.conflicts.len(), 1);
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------ apply
 
 use crate::apply::{