NYON: European federation UEFA has decided to permit the use of up to five substitutes per team at the finals of Euro 2020 – and the Nations League. It is also removing an arbitrary cap on possible attendances which should ease the route to confirmation of the 12 venues scheduled to stage the Euro finals.

A UEFA statement, after an executive committee meeting, said:

The UEFA Executive Committee met today via videoconference and unanimously took the following decisions:


UEFA EURO 2020, 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals and relegation play-outs

To allow the use of up to five substitutions at UEFA EURO 2020 and at the 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals and relegation play-outs in accordance with the temporary amendment introduced to Law 3 of the IFAB Laws of the Game.

As the reasons for the five-substitutions rule remain valid against the background of national and international football calendars affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and given that the rule is already in place for the World Cup qualification matches that will run from March 2021 to March 2022, it was decided to extend the amendment to UEFA EURO 2020 in June/July 2021, the UEFA Nations League finals in October 2021 and the UEFA Nations League relegation play-outs in March 2022

Admission of spectators to UEFA matches
The UEFA Executive Committee reviewed its decision of 1 October 2020 whereby it allowed the return of spectators to UEFA matches up to 30% of capacity. The committee decided that in light of the fact that each of UEFA’s 55 members associations faces a different situation with regard to tackling the pandemic, such a cap is no longer needed and that the decision on the number of permitted spectators should fall under the exclusive responsibility of the relevant competent local/national authorities.

Consequently, the previously UEFA-imposed spectator attendance limit of a maximum of 30% of the relevant stadium’s seating capacity is lifted, as well as the prohibition for spectators to attend futsal matches.

However, in view of the ongoing travel restrictions and in order to enact reasonable and responsible policies to minimize COVID-19 related risks, the Executive Committee decided to confirm the decision of 1 October 2020 insofar that visiting fans are not allowed to attend UEFA competition matches. This is valid until prior to the club competition finals taking place in May 2021.

The UEFA Minimum Health & Hygiene Requirements for the Return of Spectators have been amended to reflect this new decision, which comes into force as of tomorrow.


2022 FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup

Following the Executive Committee’s decision on 23 February 2021 to cancel the 2020/21 UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship – which serves as qualifier to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2022 in Costa Rica – it was decided to use the 2020/21 qualifying round coefficient ranking list to determine the teams that will represent Europe in the competition.

The qualified teams are therefore, in order of ranking, Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Format of UEFA club competitions post-2024
The UEFA Executive Committee – including the representatives of the European Club Association and of European Leagues – unanimously approved the new timeframe for a decision on the format of UEFA club competitions post-2024, with a decision to be made on 19 April 2021.
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