UEFA have confirmed that national teams will be allowed to name a squad consisting of 26 names for Euro 2021, which is scheduled to be held in the summer. The tournament begins on June 11, and teams will have to submit their final squads on June 1.
According to the governing body, although 26 players can be named by each national team, only 23 can be named per match in accordance with the laws of the game. The change in ruling for this edition allows for an unlimited number of replacements for players who are injured or catch COVID-19.
However, while their replacements must be medically cleared, the players replaced cannot be readmitted to the tournament. Hence, once a player gets injured for the tournament and has to be replaced, they cannot participate again.
UEFA have also gone out and said that goalkeepers can be changed before every match. According to the official website:
“The new regulations will now also allow goalkeepers to be replaced before each match during the tournament in case of physical incapacity even if one or two goalkeepers from the player list are still available.”
The same source also clarified the cases in which a particular player could be replaced due to coronavirus cases:
“For the sake of clarity, players who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have been declared as “close contacts” of a positive COVID-19 tested person – and therefore put in isolation – by way of an authorities’ decision are considered cases of serious illness and can therefore be replaced before the first match with the approval of the UEFA administration.”
