"Europe's top clubs, including some Premier League sides, have held discussions about using six substitutes per game to ease the workload on players. Sides met at the European Football Clubs' (EFC) general assembly in Rome last week to discuss issues within the game. It was not officially on the agenda or pushed by the EFC, but clubs had informal, private discussions about utilising 28-man squads - up from the current 25 - and six substitutes."
"Football's rulemakers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), would need to recommend any changes first, and it is unclear when, if at all, any changes would be made. Five substitutes were introduced in the Premier League in May 2020 before football resumed during the coronavirus pandemic. The league reverted back to three for the 2020-21 season, before five was voted in permanently from the 2022-23 season. A sixth substitute is allowed to replace a player without a suspected head injury."
"Three extra squad places are seen as being able to reduce the workload on players after threats of strikes. Last season Tottenham defender Archie Gray was included in 80 matchday squads for club and country, including friendlies, the joint highest in Europe with Real Madrid's 20-year-old midfielder Arda Guler. Gray, 19, made 48 appearances as Spurs won the Europa League and helped England Under-21s win Euro 2025 in the summer."
Top European clubs, including several Premier League sides, held informal private talks at an EFC general assembly in Rome about expanding matchday squads to 28 players and permitting six substitutes to ease player workload. Any change would require recommendation from the International Football Association Board, and timing or implementation remains uncertain. Five substitutes were used temporarily in 2020, reverted, then made permanent from 2022-23; a sixth substitute is noted as allowed to replace a player without a suspected head injury. Some player representatives question whether larger squads would reduce travel or mental fatigue. Uefa, EFC, FifPro Europe and European Leagues launched a study on injuries, performance and welfare.
Read at www.bbc.com
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