Teams could use five substitutes when football season resumes
Football teams will be allowed to use five substitutes when the 2019-20 season resumes after a FIFA proposal to help with fixture congestion was approved. The change will be applied on competitions due to be completed within this calendar year. The decision on whether to implement the changes is for each relevant competition organizer. Here's more on the same.
The temporary amendment comes into force with immediate effect: IFAB
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has agreed to a temporary change to the laws of the game in order to protect player welfare. "The temporary amendment comes into force with immediate effect, and has been made as matches may be played in a condensed period in different weather conditions, both of which could have impacts on player welfare," IFAB said in a statement.
How will the changes work when football resumes?
According to the BBC, each team will be allowed to use a maximum of five substitutes. To reduce disruption, each team will have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game. Substitutions can also be made at half-time. Meanwhile, if both teams make a substitution at the same time, this will count as one of the three opportunities for each team.
What about VAR?
A report in the BBC stated that there is also an option to stop using the video assistant referee (VAR) system because of safety concerns over officials working together in a small room for the duration of matches. In this case, VAR could get stopped.
What can we expect in cup competitions?
Besides the rules mentioned above, unused substitutions and opportunities can be carried forward into extra time. Where competition rules allow an additional substitution in extra time, teams will each have one additional substitution opportunity; substitutions may also be made before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time. This is hinted at the cup competitions like the UEFA Champions League.
The latest scenarios surrounding other major European leagues
The Bundesliga is set to return behind closed doors from May 16 onwards. Ligue 1 was ended, with PSG being awarded the top-flight title. Ajax were handed a blow after the Eredivisie season was declared void. The Premier League is targeting a return in June. La Liga has started individual training. Serie A clubs have started individual training, however, a return date is unknown.
Coronavirus pandemic has impacted the world
The 2019-20 European season came to a halt after football was suspended for more than three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 4,014,500 cases have been confirmed since the start of the disease. 276,253 deaths have taken place.
