The official statement from UEFA reads that: '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.' This decision was made to curb the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus. In July 2020, the UEFA introduced amendments allowing national European football teams to have five substitutions of national team’s players instead of the previously stated regulation of three. 'Teams will be allowed to use a maximum of five substitutes at UEFA Euro 2020 and at the 2021 UEFA Nations League finals and relegation play-outs,' according to the statement from the UEFA’s press office.
Members of the UEFA Executive Committee held a meeting on Wednesday discussing, among other things, an issue of the maximum amount of substitute players at matches of major European tournaments.
