The FIFA 2022 World Cup 2022 is set to take place in Qatar from November 21 to December 18. (AFP image)
FIFA also took into account the “broad context of the devastating effects of the Govt-19 epidemic on teams before and after matches”.
- AFP
- Last Updated:June 24, 2022, 06:41 IST
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The maximum team size for the tournament, which runs from November 21 to December 18, will be increased to 3, allowing FIFA nations to select 26 players for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“The number of players to be shortlisted has been increased from a minimum of 23 to a maximum of 26,” FIFA said in a statement.
The decision to expand the squad was made “in light of the need to maintain extra flexibility due to the unique timing of this year’s tournament, which could disrupt the European club season,” the World Football Association said.
FIFA also took into account the “broad context of the devastating effects of the Govt-19 epidemic on teams before and after matches”.
UEFA accepted similar changes to Euro 2020 last year, meeting the demands of coaches who feared losing players due to the corona virus.
Following the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, the national teams announced their 23-man squad for the World Cup and the European Championships.
Prior to this, only 22 players were allowed on each team in international competitions.
Last week the IFAB, the governing body of football, approved the permanent use of five substitutes for all top matches and said that teams could now name 15 substitutes instead of 12 on a team paper.
During the World Cup, FIFA announced on Thursday that “more than 26 players (15 substitutes and 11 team officials – one of these officials must be a team doctor) will not be allowed to sit on the team bench”.
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