The temporary measure to give soccer teams the opportunity to make five substitutions per game instead of three should be put in place permanently, sports officials suggested on Wednesday.
The measure was put in place in May 2020 to allow clubs to better manage the condensed calendar, when activities resumed following the truce caused by the coronavirus.
Last May, it was extended for 18 months, until the end of 2022, once the World Cup tournament in Qatar is over.
According to the advisory committee of the International Council of Association Football (CIFA), there have been “a number of requests from confederations, associations, leagues and other important players for this option to be implemented. permanently “.
Each championship can decide to increase the number of substitutions from three to five “according to the needs of its football environment”, according to a statement from the CIFA, published following a virtual meeting chaired by FIFA.
The Premier League, in England, was one of the few leagues not to use this measure in view of its 2020-2021 season, preferring to return to the limit of three substitutions. This is the case again this year, after the teams voted on the issue.
CIFA also recommended that the number of chances to make changes – three, as well as at halftime – remain the same.