Football
FIFA Approves 26-Man Squads for the World Cup in Qatar
by privatebet.com - 2022/06/24
There’s a lot of anticipation leading up to this year’s World Cup, and FIFA just announced one major change that could shift the course of the tournament. The organization approved 26-man squads in an attempt to combat the possible impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an official statement announcing their decision, FIFA explained they're going down this road to “retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments.” FIFA revealed that no more than 26 people – including 15 substitutes and 11 team officials – will be allowed to sit on the team bench, increasing the number from the previous 23. They also increased the maximum number of players on the release list from 35 to 55. 32 teams from five confederations will be competing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and they have until October 20 to submit their final squads. This will be the first World Cup in history to take place in the Arab world, with Qatar serving as a host between November 21 and December 18.