FIFA proposes five substitutions per match when football returns

Keeping in mind the demands post COVID-19 pandemic when football returns, FIFA has proposed allowing teams to effect up to five substitutions per match to help players cope with added burden.

With football on hold in most places across the globe for a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic throwing a spanner in the works of virtually everything, footballers will be coming off the back of a long lay-off and matches are likely to come thick and fast, almost every few days as leagues seek to make up for lost time.

According to a Sky Sports report, teams will be afforded only three slots -- plus the half-time break -- during the match to make their changes, in a bid to avoid unnecessary stoppages.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is responsible for the laws of the game, will have to approve FIFA's plans, the report said.

"When competitions resume, such competitions are likely to face a congested match calendar with a higher-than-normal frequency of matches played in consecutive weeks," a FIFA spokesperson was quoted as saying by skysports.com.

"Safety of the players is one of FIFA's main priorities. One concern in this regard is that the higher-than-normal frequency of matches may increase the risk of potential injuries due to a resulting player overload.

"In light of this, and in light of the unique challenge faced globally in delivering competitions according to the originally foreseen calendar, FIFA proposes that a larger number of substitutions be temporarily allowed, at the discretion of the relevant competition organiser.

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

FIFA's proposals would cover the 2020/21 season as well as the current campaign if it is approved.