FIFA has announced an increase in squad size for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The change will allow more players to be available for national team coaches, which will certainly help with the unusual tournament timing.
The 2022 World Cup will take place in November and December due to the heat in Qatar, a small Middle Eastern nation. Because it is so close to Christmas and New Year’s, many European leagues will be taking a break during that period.
There have been concerns about how this would affect club teams, who rely on their players during those crucial weeks when they have no competition from other teams. FIFA has responded by allowing each team to bring three additional players (up from seven) on their roster than they could have before. Each squad will consist of 23 instead of 21 players going forward.
World Cup 2022 Squad Size
The world football governing body announced an increase in rosters for the 2022 World Cup, moving the allowable player cap from 23 players to 26 players for the upcoming tournament.
Expanding rosters to 26 players will allow teams to make late changes to the squad and swap injured players out for the knockout stage.
Additionally, FIFA approved an increase to 55 players for the full “release list” of eligible players. The expanded release list allows teams to make late changes to the squad and swap injured players out for the knockout stage.
Finally, the number of personnel on the bench is also increasing, with 15 players allowed on the bench, increasing from 12. FIFA stated that a total of 26 individuals would be allowed on a team’s bench, with 15 players joined by a maximum of 11 team staff.
Why Did World Cup Squads for 2022 Increase?
To increase the flexibility of teams competing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, FIFA has announced that they will expand squads from 23 to 26 players.
The changes were made “given the need to retain additional flexibility due to the unique timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in the global calendar, as well as the broader context of the disruptive effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on squads before and during tournaments.”
Essentially, they increased the number of players allowed from 23 to 26 due to the strain on players through the 2022/23 season.
With the 2022 World Cup happening in November and December, domestic leagues have been forced to fit the same number of fixtures into a season calendar that is five weeks shorter, a tall task that will likely see players stretched to their limits.
When Will Players Join for World Cup 2022?
With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar fast approaching, we know you’re wondering when players will join their national teams. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide to help you understand what’s going on:
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will begin on November 20. The hosts play Ecuador in the opening game, with the final set to be played on December 18.
According to the official FIFA release announcing the squad changes, the final day for players to feature for their clubs will be Sunday, November 13.
Those clubs must release players summoned for international duty by Monday, November 14. They will see them return only after their respective national team has either been eliminated or won the tournament.
