The IFAB, football's lawmakers, will move quickly to approve FIFA's proposal that teams can make up to five substitutions per match, instead of the usual three, as a temporary measure to help cope with potential fixture congestion in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak. While the IFAB expects to make a decision soon, ESPN has been told there is not yet a definitive date for the IFAB board to rubber-stamp the plan. "After a period where FIFA and The IFAB have been considering ways in which they might assist football when it resumes, The IFAB is now working with FIFA on their proposal for a temporary dispensation of Law 3 (The Players) allowing competitions to give teams the option to use a maximum of five substitutes in up to three occasions during the match, plus half-time," an IFAB statement to ESPN read. "This proposal has been well received and The IFAB is aiming to facilitate a decision quickly. More information will be available in the coming days, once the formal approval processes have been completed."
The proposal gives managers the option of letting teams use five substitutes across 90 minutes. However, each team will only have three substitution opportunities (not including half-time) which means the temporary law could not be used for additional time-wasting. Cup games which go to extra time will still give teams an additional, sixth substitution. The law change will be optional, so leagues may choose not to apply it this season to protect sporting integrity. It is likely each association will make its own individual decision based upon the frequency of games once competitions restart. "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," FIFA said in a statement. "Safety of the players is one of FIFA's main priority then. 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 organizer. 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." It is proposed that the temporary law also covers the 2020-21 season, which is also likely to be severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It would also apply to all national team games through to the end of 2021 - including next season's international tournaments should governing bodies choose. World Cup qualifying is already behind schedule in Asia and South America, and will be impacted in Europe next year. One solution would be national teams playing three competitive games instead of two during the 10-day periods when clubs are mandated to release players for international duty. Three substitutes were introduced into the game in 1995, and there will now be speculation that this temporary measure may eventually become permanent. The IFAB has also confirmed that the new Laws of the Game, that become active on June 1, do not have to be applied by leagues that restart after this date to finish their seasons.
Source: ESPN
