Euro 2020: UEFA confirms expanded 26-player squads for tournament
UEFA has confirmed the expansion of squads from 23 to 26 players at this summer’s delayed European Championship.
The UEFA executive committee approved the rule-change on Tuesday, explaining it as a move “to guarantee the smooth running and continuity of the competition in light of the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Despite the presence of additional players, matchday squads will remain limited to 23 players, while it was previously confirmed that five substitutes per team will be allowed in each fixture.
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The deadline for naming squads is June 1 but teams will be able to replace players for serious injury or illness, which will include being declared a close contact of someone with the coronavirus, up until their first match of the tournament.
There is even greater leeway for the selection of goalkeepers, who will be able to be replaced throughout the tournament in the case of serious injury or illness.
However, “to ensure the integrity of the competition”, once a player has been replaced they cannot be readmitted.
England are likely to name a provisional squad before the official deadline, with their first warm-up fixture – against Austria – scheduled for June 2, before another friendly against Romania four days later.