Uefa has confirmed squad sizes for this summer’s European Championship in Germany have been increased from 23 to 26.
A statement released on Friday confirmed: ‘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 increase does not represent an obligation for the participating national associations. In accordance with the competition regulations, teams must provide UEFA with a list containing a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26 by the deadline of 7 June.’
The news be a welcomed boost for Gareth Southgate and England with the Three Lions boss facing a number of selection headaches ahead of this summer’s competition.
Southgate has previously been among the managers who have called for expanded squads.
‘There is one more UEFA meeting where there’s been a little bit of talk amongst some of the coaches about possibly increasing that [squad size],’ Southgate said after recent international friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
‘We’ve got to make the best decisions with what we know and some of those currently are going to be medical decisions. And we’ve been able to get those right in the previous tournaments.
‘We’ve been able to give people time, but with 23 that’s definitely more difficult.’
Competing nations were allowed to pick 26 players for the delayed European Championships in 2021 with Covid isolations protocols still in place during the competition.
Fifa kept the 26-man squads in place for last winter’s Qatar World Cup, given it took place in the middle of the traditional club season.
Uefa had planned to revert back to the traditional 23-man squad rule but the change will now ease pressure on managers heading into the tournament which begins on 14 June.
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