When football is allowed to resume in our little corner of the world, teams will be allowed to use five substitutes per game.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have approved the temporary measure "to protect player welfare".
In the German Bundesliga they're attempting to squeeze 82 matches in by June 27.
While in Spain, La Liga is hoping to resume in the next few weeks, and will ask teams to play twice a week until July 26th.
To avoid disruption, the IFAB are ensuring that "each team will only have three opportunities to make substitutions."
The temporary rule change applies to "competitions which have either started or are intended to start, but are scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2020."
This means both the SSE Airtricity League and the English Premier League will be able to avail of the change.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) were the first to introduce the amendment.
RFEF president Luis Rubiales and his La Liga counterpart Javier Tebas have welcomed the use of extra substitutes.
The summary of the change is as follows:
- Each team will be permitted to use a maximum of five substitutes.
- To reduce disruption to the match, each team will have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game; substitutions may also be made at half-time.
- If both teams make a substitution at the same time, this will count as one of the three opportunities for each team.Unused substitutions and opportunities are carried forward into extra time.
- Where competition rules allow an additional substitution in extra time, teams will each have one additional substitution opportunity; substitutions may also be made before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
The IFAB have also given the go-ahead for competitions to scrap their use of VAR, if they wish.
They stipulate, "In relation to competitions in which the video assistant referee (VAR) system is implemented, these competitions are permitted to cease its use upon restart at the discretion of each individual competition organiser.
"However, where VAR is used, all aspects of the Laws of the Game and, by extension, the VAR protocol will remain in place."
The Premier League's use of VAR should they resume behind closed doors has already been called into question.
Their Stockley Park base - and how it's used on matchdays - would not comply with social distancing guidelines.
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