FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The German league will allow teams to use five substitutions again this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 36 clubs in the top two German soccer leagues voted Thursday to continue the rule for next season. The decision comes after the Premier League moved back to three substitutions after using five to finish the 2019-20 campaign amid the pandemic.
FIFA and rule-making panel IFAB allowed leagues to use up to five substitutions in May as a way to reduce fatigue for players during a busy run of rescheduled games. That measure was extended in July to allow five substitutions in club competitions through July 2021 and international competitions until August 2021.