The number of substitutes usable in a competitive match has increased from zero, meaning that teams were reduced if players' injuries could not allow them to play on, to one in 1958; to two out of a possible five in 1988. With the later increases in substitutions allowed, the number of potential substitute players increased to seven.
[15] The number of substitutes increased to two plus one (injured goalkeeper) in 1994,
[16] to three in 1995,
[17][18] and to a fourth substitute in certain competitions (starting from
UEFA Euro 2016) in extra time.
[19] In 2020, following a proposal from
FIFA, the
International Football Association Board allowed for competition organisers to temporarily allow for a maximum of five substitutions (with an additional allowed in extra time, where applicable) to be made in official matches for the remainder of the year in order to lessen the
impact of fixture congestion caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic. However, there will only be three opportunities to make substitutions (with an additional allowed in extra time, where applicable), excluding those made at half-time, before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
[20]
Times change.... I thought going to 2 was a lot longer ago.