Substitutions

FIFA's current law permits five substitutions, but they must be made across a maximum of three substitution windows (plus the half-time interval, which counts as a separate window). In practice this means a team could make changes at three distinct stoppages in the first half, at half-time, and at three stoppages in the second half — but all five must be used across those combined windows, not separately at every single stoppage. The rule was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to manage player fatigue and made permanent from 2022.

A tactical substitution reshapes the team rather than simply replacing a fatigued player. A manager trailing by a goal might bring on an extra attacker and switch from a 4-5-1 to a 4-3-3. In the 2022 World Cup final, Argentina's Lautaro Martinez came off the bench to score in extra time, while France used Kingsley Coman and Marcus Thuram as impact substitutes to turn the match around from 3-2 down to 3-3. Those moments illustrated how five substitutions have made the bench an even more powerful weapon.

Modern squads carry players whose primary role is as a substitute. 'Super subs' enter the game when defenders are tired, space has opened, and their explosive pace or direct play can be most dangerous. Olivier Giroud built much of his France career as exactly this kind of player before becoming an undisputed starter. A penalty specialist might be brought on at the end of a knockout match purely to take a spot-kick — though this is rare at the highest level because it is so transparent.

From the 2022 Qatar World Cup onwards, FIFA increased squad sizes to 26 players (up from 23) partly to accommodate the five-substitution rule and injury risks during the expanded calendar. At WC 2026 with 48 teams and more matches, the depth of each squad becomes even more important. Teams like France, England, and Brazil carry strength three or four positions deep in every slot, meaning the five substitution windows can bring genuinely top-quality players off the bench in every phase of the game.