Soccer-IFAB extends five substitutes rule to end of 2022

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Leeds United v Manchester United - Elland Road, Leeds, Britain - April 25, 2021 Manchester United's Edinson Cavani comes on as a substitute to replace Marcus Rashford Pool via REUTERS/Peter Powell /File Photo

(Reuters) - Soccer's law-making body said on Friday competition organisers will have the option of allowing teams to continue using up to five substitutes per game until the end of 2022.

The temporary rule was first introduced in May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow teams to use five substitutes, instead of the standard three, to support player welfare amid a congested fixture schedule.