Premier League clubs vote against using five substitutes in 2020-21

Joe Wright

Premier League clubs vote against using five substitutes in 2020-21 image

Premier League clubs have agreed to go back to a maximum of three substitutions per match for the 2020-21 season.

A rule allowing teams to make five changes from a bench of nine was introduced when the 2019-20 season resumed following the coronavirus-enforced break.

The intention was to give sides greater opportunity to reduce the risk of players burning out during the hectic schedule in June and July, but there was opposition from those who felt major clubs with larger squads were benefiting unfairly.

FIFA gave permission for member nations to keep using the five-substitute rule if they wished, but the Premier League announced on Thursday that "clubs agreed to revert back to using up to three substitute players per match, with a maximum of seven substitutes on the bench".

The league also confirmed shareholders had unanimously agreed to approve the implementation of VAR, which was used for the first time in 2019-20.

Joe Wright

Joe Wright Photo

Joe is a Senior Editor at Sporting News. He was previously a sub editor and writer for Goal.com before spending six years as part of the Stats Perform editorial news service, covering major global sports including football, tennis, boxing, NBA, rugby union and athletics. Joe has reported live on some of the biggest games in football, including two UEFA Champions League finals, Euro 2016, the Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 World Cup final at the end of a month in Russia.