UEFA have approved the expansion of squad sizes to 26 players for the upcoming European Championships. The previous squad size for the tournament was set at 23, which has been incremented by three.
Members of the body voted on the matter on Monday, and after all the country’s coaches in Dusseldorf were satisfied, the decision has now been made. As a result, coaches will be able to call upon more players for international duty which will give them more options.
UEFA increases squad size to 26 members for Euros
🚨 UEFA are set to increase the international squad sizes to 26 players for EURO 2024 in Germany.
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) April 23, 2024
(Source: Sky Sports) pic.twitter.com/TRnzJpx25t
It now seems that 26 players will be the standard size of squads for all upcoming tournaments. The bigger squad sizes first came up because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And now, it has become the norm considering the advantages it poses for teams.
The flexibility is not just for coaches. The possibility of rotation, with the option to use five substitutes in games reduces the demand on players. After a season that has been hampered by injuries to several top players, the summer tournament will be a huge additional demand.
And while it’s a small step, it’ll help preserve fitness to an extent while allowing more players to make the step up to represent their countries in major tournaments.
