Amendments to football’s Laws of the Game in various UEFA competitions

A series of amendments to football’s Laws of the Game are coming into force immediately in various UEFA competitions.

The amendments, sanctioned by football’s lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), concern the number of substitutions; additional substitutions if a match goes into extra time; the maximum number of substitutes that can be listed on the match sheet; the number and location of additional technical seats; and use of electronic communication in the technical area.

The amendments to the laws:

Number of substitutions

• Up to five substitutions will be permitted per team.

• Each team may use a maximum of three stoppages in play to make its substitutions.

• If a match goes into extra time, each team may use up to four stoppages in play, provided that at least one of these stoppages occurs in extra time.

• Substitutions made during half-time, in the interval before extra time and at half-time during extra time, do not reduce the number of stoppages in play that can be used.

• A player who has been substituted may take no further part in the match.

The application of this rule will apply to the following UEFA competitions:

• UEFA Youth League 2018/19

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2018/19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2018/19

• UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship 2018/19

• UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship 2018/19

Additional substitutions if a match goes into extra time

An additional substitute will be permitted in the following UEFA competitions (a maximum of three substitutions during normal playing time will still apply)

• UEFA Champions League 2018/19

• UEFA Europa League 2018/19

• UEFA Super Cup 2018

• UEFA Women’s Champions League 2018/19

• UEFA European Football Championship 2018–20

• UEFA European Women’s Championship 2019–21

• UEFA Regions’ Cup 2018/19

An additional substitute in extra time will also be permitted in the following competitions:

• UEFA Nations League 2018/19 – finals

• UEFA European Qualifying Competition for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup – first and second play-off rounds

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2017–19 – play-offs and semi-finals, final and Olympic play-off during the final tournament in Italy (June 2019)

• UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship 2017/18 – semi-finals and final during the final tournament in Switzerland (July 2018)

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2017/18 – semi-finals, final and FIFA U-20 World Cup play-off during the final tournament in Finland (July 2018)

For the sake of clarity, if fewer than three substitutions have been made during normal time, a team may still use a total of four substitutions if the match goes into extra time.

Maximum number of substitutes that can be listed on the match sheet

Up to 12 substitutes may be listed on the match sheet in these UEFA competitions:

• UEFA Super Cup 2018

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2017–19 (final tournament)

• UEFA Nations League 2018/19 (all matches)

• UEFA European Football Championship 2018–20 (all matches)

• UEFA European Women’s Championship 2019–21 (final tournament)

Up to 9 substitutes may be listed on the match sheet in the following competitions:

• UEFA Regions’ Cup 2018/19 (final tournament)

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2018/19 (all matches)

• UEFA European Under-17 Championship 2018/19 (all matches)

• UEFA European Women’s Under-19 Championship 2018/19 (all matches)

• UEFA European Women’s Under-17 Championship 2018/19 (all matches)

Up to 7 substitutes listed on the match sheet will continue to apply in the following competitions:

• UEFA Women’s Champions League 2018/19

• UEFA Youth League 2018/19

• 2017–19 European Qualifiers for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup

• UEFA European Women’s Championship 2019–21 – qualifying competition and play-offs

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2017–19 – qualifying competition and play-offs

• UEFA Champions League 2018/19 – all rounds, except for the final, where 12 are permitted

• UEFA Europa League 2018/19 – all rounds, except for the final, where 12 are permitted

• UEFA Regions’ Cup 2018/19 – qualifying competition

Use of electronic communication in the technical area

The law – which comes into forces immediately in all UEFA competitions – has been amended to stipulate that any form of electronic communication by team officials is permitted if it directly relates to player welfare or safety, or for tactical/coaching reasons.

However, only small, mobile, hand-held equipment (for example, microphone, headphone, ear-piece, mobile phone/smartphone, smartwatch, tablet, laptop) may be used. Any team official using unauthorised equipment or behaving in an inappropriate manner in this respect will be dismissed from the technical area.