FIFA has approved an increase to the size of the squads allowed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This year’s tournament will also be the first where five substitutes will be permitted.
The Bureau of the FIFA Council announced in June 2022 that the Qatar World Cup will see squads of 26 players. Countries must also select at least 23 players but cannot exceed 26 people on the bench. The figure includes up to 15 substitutes, alongside 11 team officials.
Additionally, teams must name at least one doctor among their 11 officials on the bench. FIFA elected to enforce the changes regarding squad sizes and the numbers on the bench between its president, Gianni Infantino, and all of the presidents of its six confederations.
How many substitutes will be allowed at the 2022 Qatar World Cup?
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved the use of five substitutes at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar in June. Five substitutes were initially permitted following the resumption of domestic football during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
The decision to extend its use followed a meeting between FIFA president Infantino, IFAB and FIFA’s member associations. It allowed the Premier League to return to permitting five substitutes for the 2022/23 season and fall back into line with Europe’s other big leagues.
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Allowing an additional two substitutions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar is intended to help with the impact on players of fixture congestion. The 22nd edition of the quadrennial tournament will run between November and December and will take place across 28 days.
Traditionally, the FIFA World Cup runs across 32 days between June and July. FIFA moved the 2022 edition to the European winter period to overcome the hot conditions in Qatar during that time of the year. The average temperature for the region in June is 27-41°C.
How often can teams make substitutes in Qatar?
Managers will have a maximum of three opportunities to introduce their five substitutes at the World Cup in Qatar. Teams will also get a further one opportunity, whether or not they have reached the limit of three during the 90 minutes, if their fixture goes into extra time.
A further one substitution will also be permitted beyond the limit of five if a match goes to extra time. Additionally, managers can make changes during half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time without affecting their windows of opportunities.
If a head coach opts against making their five available substitutes during normal time and their match goes into any additional period, they can use the carry-over during extra time.
Should both teams elect to introduce a substitute at the same time, both managers will be charged one window. So, sides cannot exceed either three changes or four with extra time.
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