Ifab confirms five-substitute rule set to become permanent option

Football’s five-substitute allowance, in place since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, is expected to become permanent.

The Premier League reverted to three substitutes after fixture pressure eased, but the issue is likely to be raised again by clubs after other governing bodies had their say. Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, said recently that it was “ridiculous” England was the only country that still allowed only three substitutes per side.

The football and technical advisory panels of the International Football Association Board last night extended the rule until December next year and confirmed it was likely to become permanent at its annual meeting in March.

Other points discussed at the meeting were the use of a so-called “Var light” system. The group were told innovations were imminent that could allow competitions with smaller budgets to access and use Var technology.

Also, due to a lack of head trauma incidents since a trial of concussion substitutions began in January, the panels recommended that the pilot programme be extended beyond the initial end date of August 2022, to gather more data.

Leagues or competition organisers have the final say on whether to take up the increased allowance and, unlike the Premier League, most European leagues and the Champions League all allow five substitutes.

A statement from Ifab read: “In May 2021, due to the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on global football, the Ifab board of directors approved a further extension to the temporary amendment (introduced in May 2020) giving all top domestic and international competitions, scheduled to be completed by Dec 31, 2022, the option of allowing teams to use up to five substitutes.”

It said that “following a number of requests from confederations, associations, leagues and other key stakeholders for this option to be introduced permanently in the Laws of the Game (2022-23 edition)”, the panels had decided that competitions should be able to decide on increasing the number of substitutes “according to the needs of their football environment”.

A South American request to increase the half-time interval from 15 to 25 minutes was rejected.