Premier League clubs vote against retaining five substitutes rule for 2020-21 season

Eleven Premier League clubs have voted against the retention of the five substitutes rule for the 2020-21 campaign. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) provided the option of increasing the number of substitutes each team could use towards the end of the 2019-20 season in order to protect player welfare upon resumption of sports amid the congested fixture schedule. However, in today's AGM, a majority of the English top division clubs voted against the five substitutes rule for the Premier League 2020-21 season with the league set to revert to allowing three substitutes for each team for next season.

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Premier League news: Clubs vote against five substitute rule for Premier League 2020-21 season

The five substitutes rule was brought in when the 2019-20 Premier League season resumed in June following a three-month halt due to the coronavirus pandemic. The five substitute rule was brought in to reduce the possibilities of players sustaining injuries during a chaotic fixture schedule. FIFA had allowed the continued use of five substitutions in a game until August 2021 if the leagues wanted to carry on with the new rule.

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However, following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, a majority of the Premier League clubs have voted against the adoption of the five substitutes rule from next season onwards. It is reported that 11 out of the 20 Premier League clubs voted against the five substitutes rule. The three promoted clubs are also believed to have voted to return to three substitutes for next season as they feel that the five substitutes rule unfairly favours the big teams. 

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Premier League news: Thinning down matchday squads

It was also reported that there was a 10-10 tie in the vote to increase the matchday squads to 20 players and therefore it will return back to 18, as it was prior to Project Restart. Premier League clubs were allowed to name 20 players in their matchday squads following the restart of football and have nine players on the bench instead of seven. The Premier League will also discuss with the clubs on how to manage a similar situation in the future if an issue arises over the completion of the league. The shareholders also unanimously approved the implementation of the controversial VAR for next season in full line with FIFA protocol. 

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Image Credits - Premier League Twitter