FIFA Proposes Five Substitutions When Competition Returns To Activity

JAKARTA - FIFA is proposing that teams will be allowed to use five substitutions per match due to the busy schedule when the competition resumes.

The coronavirus pandemic has halted most of the league and the Eredivisie is among those that have been canceled.

The team faces a stack of schedules when they finally return to action. For that FIFA hopes, in order to ease the workload of the players by allowing two additional substitutions during the match, or a total of six substitutions if the match goes to extra time.

Organizers will have the option of implementing the new interim rules until the end of next season, while it will also apply to national team matches up to and including December 31, 2021.

"As competition continues, such competitions are likely to face a busy calendar of matches with a higher than normal frequency of matches being played in consecutive weeks," said a FIFA spokesman.

"The safety of the players was one of FIFA's top priorities at the time. One of the concerns in this regard is that a higher than normal frequency of matches could increase the risk of potential injury.

"In light of this and given the unique challenges faced globally in delivering competition according to the originally predicted calendar, FIFA proposes that a large number of temporary substitutions be permitted at the discretion of the relevant competition organizers.

"In competitions where less than five substitutions are currently allowed, each team will now be given the possibility to use up to five substitutions during the match, with the possibility of additional substitutions remaining during extra time, if relevant."