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The governing body for European football, UEFA, is set to meet this week to discuss a proposal to expand the traditional 23-man squad limit to 26 players for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.
This increased limit was introduced for the last Euros inn 2020 which was implemented due to the pandemic and illness and the post lockdown congestion of fixtures the had to be crammed after lockdowns. To protect players from burnout, the squad size was expanded by 3 players. This was also implemented for the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Player welfare has become a hot topic in recent years, with concerns mounting about the physical demands placed on footballers playing an increasing number of high-intensity matches. This raises questions about the physical condition of players arriving at major international tournaments such as Euro 2024, often already drained by the club season.
Presumably, the idea behind the proposal is to reduce pressure on individual players and allow managers more flexibility to rest those who need it to combat fatigue. However, it’s not guaranteed that this will necessarily translate to a physical benefit for the players themselves. Managers are naturally keen for the proposal to pass. With the Champions League final taking place in June, the same month as Euro 2024, having an extra three players could mitigate any performance issues caused by injuries to key players involved in the final.
Personally, I believe expanding the squads for Euro 2024 makes sense, especially considering the availability of five substitutions per match. The summer weather in parts of Germany can be very hot, so squad rotation will be crucial. The more options managers have, the better, and I can’t imagine many opposing the proposal, although some of the lesser nations may as they see more options off the bench for the stronger nations an issue.
We’ll keep you updated on the decision, but what do you think about increasing the squad size? Let us know in the comments!
