European football governing body, UEFA has concluded plans to allow teams that will participate in the forthcoming European Championship (Euros 2020) to make a maximum of 5 substitutes in a match.
Recall that the 5-substitution in a game rule was first introduced towards the end of the 2019-2020 season due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic which forced clubs to play more matches in short intervals.
Afterward, some leagues, including the Premier League, scrapped the rule ahead of the 2020-2021 Premier League season but some domestic football competitions like the FA Cup retained the rule.
Besides club football, the 5 substitution per game rule is still effective in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification round. The World football governing body recently extended the rule to cover for all the qualifications matches that are left ahead of the World Cup.
Hence, UEFA is taking advantage of the extended rule to allow teams to rest players during the competition which would commence weeks after the end of the 2020-2021 club football season.
Besides the UEFA European Championship, teams will be allowed to make 5 substitutions in the 2020-2021 Nations League finals which is scheduled to take place in October, and the relegation play-offs which will take place in March 2022.
Also, UEFA will permit host cities of the forthcoming European Championship to determine the number of spectators each stadium will be allowed in match venues. Initially, UEFA declared that each of the stadia is permitted to allow spectators to occupy a maximum of 30% of the stadia capacity.
The postponed Euros 2020 will kick off on June 11, 2021, and it will last until July 11, 2021. It will see 24 teams compete for the European title in 12 different cities in 12 countries across Europe. The host countries are Azerbaijan, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, and Spain.
⏰ RESULTS ⏰
— European Qualifiers (@EURO2020) March 31, 2021
🇲🇰 North Macedonia stun Germany in Duisburg
🇪🇸 Spain now 66 unbeaten in World Cup qualifiers
🏴 England secure late victory
🇫🇷 France beat Bosnia and Herzegovina
🇩🇰 Denmark claim big win in Austria
🏴 Tierney registers 3 assists for Scotland
🤔 Best display?#WCQ
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Eden Park in Auckland will host the opening match of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, while Stadium Australia in Sydney will stage the final.
Other seven cities in Australia and New Zealand selected to host the Women’s World Cup are Adelaide, Brisbane, Dunedin, Hamilton, Melbourne, Perth, and Wellington.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to last for five weeks. It will start in July and end in August 2023.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: “The appointment of the nine host cities represents a major milestone for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, as well as for players and football fans across Australia, New Zealand, and around the world.
