This archive report was first published on 15 July 2020.
On July 15, 2020, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced an extension of the temporary five-substitutes rule for the 2020/21 football season.
The decision was made due to the short turnaround between the end of the 2019/20 season and the start of the new campaign, as well as the condensed period of matches caused by a delayed start to the season.
Each league and international competition will have the option to apply the new rule or stick to the pre-pandemic regulations of three substitutes per side for a 90-minute match.
However, to avoid disruption, teams will only have three opportunities to make substitutions, with changes made at half-time not counting as one of those stoppages.
The use of five substitutes per side has been a contentious issue, with concerns over player welfare and the potential for further widening the gap between the richest clubs and the rest.
