UEFA Allows 26-Player Squads For European Championship

UEFA said it had agreed the increase from 23 players "to mitigate the risks of teams facing a shortage of available players for certain matches due to possible positive COVID-19 tests results.

UEFA said Tuesday it would allow expanded 26-man squads at Euro 2020, meeting a demand from coaches who feared they could lose players due to coronavirus. European football's governing body said it had agreed the increase from 23 players "to mitigate the risks of teams facing a shortage of available players for certain matches due to possible positive Covid-19 test results and subsequent quarantine measures". France coach Didier Deschamps and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez were among those who had called for the change while England manager Gareth Southgate had been opposed.  Matchday squads will still be limited to 23 players. UEFA clarified that the current regulations that allow coaches to change their squads after the cut-off point of June 1 up until their first match in the case of "serious injury or illness" will include players who test positive for Covid-19 or who are declared as "close contacts" of a positive Covid-19 tested person.