London: Premier League clubs will be able to make five substitutions per match from the next season after shareholders agreed to change the rules in a meeting on Thursday.
The substitutions can be made on three occasions during a match, plus at half-time, and a total of nine substitutes can be named on the team sheet.
“Clubs agreed to change the rules relating to substitute players.From next season, clubs will be permitted to use five substitutions, to be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“A total of nine substitutes can be named on the team sheet,” it added.
Five substitutes were originally introduced in May 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the league reverted back to three subs for the 2020/21 season and this campaign.
Previously, teams had voted against the introduction of five substitutes on several occasions in the past two years.
The Premier League was the only major competition to abandon the rule because some clubs felt it gave those with bigger squads an unfair advantage.
At a shareholder meeting of all 20 Premier League clubs, it was also confirmed that this summer’s transfer window will open on June 10 and will close at 2300 hrs on 1 September, in line with other European leagues.
In addition, the Premier League will remove twice-weekly testing of players and staff from 4 April and move to symptomatic testing only.
–IANS