FIFA’s proposal to allow five substitutions during matches approved by IFAB

The proposal by world governing body FIFA to allow teams make up to five substitutions during matches, has beeen approved by rule making body, IFAB.

This was confirmed by FIFA in a statement released on its official website on Friday.

The idea came as one of the moves to help players with fixture congestion when football activities resume after the coronavirus pandemic.

Read Also: Football teams to use five substitutions during matches, FIFA proposes

Each team will have three opportunities to make the five substitutions, which can also be made during half-time.

This transitional amendment takes immediate effect, as a large number of matches will be played in a short period of time and under different weather conditions than expected, which could have a negative impact on the health of footballers.

The statement from FIFA reads: “As football begins to consider resumption of competitions across the world following the COVID-19 pandemic, The International Football Association Board (The IFAB) has agreed to make a temporary amendment to the Laws of the Game based on a proposal received from FIFA seeking to protect player welfare.

“For competitions which have either started or are intended to start, but are scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2020, the IFAB has approved FIFA’s proposal to introduce a temporary amendment to Law 3 – The Players, which will allow for a maximum of five substitutes to be made per team.”

FIFA however stated that the decision on whether to apply the temporary amendment will remain at the discretion of each individual competition organiser.

The body also said it will alongside the IFAB decide on a later date, whether the ammendment would need to be extended further.

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