UEFA has announced that teams participating in Euro 2024 will be allowed to expand their squads to include 26 players, deviating from the usual limit of 23.
The decision to increase squad size was passed by the national competitions committee in a vote last month, and UEFA confirmed the rule change on Friday for the upcoming tournament.
In a statement, UEFA declared: “The UEFA Executive Committee has today decided to increase the maximum squad size of the teams participating in the upcoming UEFA EURO 2024 from the original quota of 23 to 26 players.”
The expansion to 26-man squads was initially introduced at Euro 2020, partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and UEFA had planned to revert to the 23-player limit. However, teams retain the option to name only 23 players if they choose.
The deadline for submitting final squads for Euro 2024 is June 7, ahead of the tournament’s kickoff on June 14.
England manager Gareth Southgate recently voiced support for the increased squad size, citing the physical demands of the club season and the need to manage players’ minutes during the tournament.
“[England] have to make the best decisions [regarding selection] with what we know, and some of those are going to be medical decisions,” Southgate remarked. “We’ve been able to get those right in the previous [two] tournaments. We’ve been able to give people time [to recover, having named them in the squad]. But with 23, that’s definitely more difficult.”
