FIFA has increased the maximum squad size for the November 21–December 18 competition by three, allowing nations to choose up to 26 players for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA announced in a statement that “the number of players to be included on the final list has been increased to at least 23 and a maximum of 26.” The decision to increase squad sizes was decided, according to the organisation that governs world football, “given the necessity to preserve greater flexibility owing to the peculiar timing” of this year’s competition, which will break the European club season.
FIFA also took into account the “broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments”.
Teams select 23 player squads previously
Since the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, national teams have selected 23-player squads for both the World Cup and the European Championship. Prior to that, each squad for international competitions was limited to 22 players.
Last week football’s rules body IFAB approved the permanent use of five substitutes for all top-level matches and said teams can now name 15 substitutes on a team sheet instead of 12.
“No more than 26 people (up to 15 substitutes and 11 team officials – one of these officials must be the team doctor) will be allowed to sit on the team bench” during World Cup games, FIFA said June 23.
