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Sports News of Friday, 8 May 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Teams granted five substitutions per football match due to COVID-19 - IFAB

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The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved FIFA's proposal on the change of rules to the number of substitution per team to a maximum of 5.

As a result, teams will now be allowed to make five substitutions per match due to a temporary amendment to football's laws to cope with returning from the coronavirus-enforced break.

According to Sky Sports, the move was made to limit the risk of player injury as some leagues plan for a return of more games over a shorter period of time.

The change of rule, according to IFAB will for now be binding on competitions that are scheduled to finish before the end of the year, and a review will be conducted at a "later stage" over whether to carry the rule into next season.

As such;


  1. Teams will be limited to three opportunities during matches to make their substitutions - as well as half-time - in a bid to prevent unnecessary stoppages.


  2. In competitions where extra-time could be enforced, any unused substitutions will be allowed to be carried over.



It should, however, be noted that the amendment will not be enforced on individual competitions, except they wish to adopt it.

With the Bundesliga scheduled to resume behind closed doors on May 16, the new amendment could be adopted.

IFAB has also altered the VAR rule and competitions that were using the technology could choose to dump it, if and when they resume their seasons.

The Premier League has not concluded on whether to adopt the rule changes but will discuss with its clubs, including the use of VAR.

Sky Sports