Substitutes at Euro 2024 could be forced to sit alongside fans after UEFA increased squad sizes for the tournament to 26 players.
England boss Gareth Southgate and other managers in favour of the increase got their wish on Friday when Europe's football governing body announced that teams will no longer be capped at 23 call-ups. While that gives them more tactical flexibility and a greater backstop for injuries, the 10 venues being used in Germany will have some trouble accommodating larger squads.
Each stadium's benches were prepared under the assumption that teams would only need space for 12 substitutes, not 15. There isn't enough time to make them bigger, so according to the Daily Mail, plans are being put in place for the surplus players to sit near supporters in the stand directly behind.
UEFA has also informed each nation that Germany's dressing rooms were be prepared for 23-man squads, so their stars best prepare for a tight squeeze. Still, Southgate and his peers will be happy that the decision was ratified by UEFA after weeks of talks regarding player welfare after another jam-packed season.
A statement 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."
Southgate publicly threw his backing behind squads of 26 in March, with England having suffered a raft of injuries. "We've got to make the best decisions [regarding selection] with what we know and some of those currently are going to be medical decisions," the Three Lions manager explained.
Your turn! Which players should and shouldn't be in England's squad? Give us your picks in the comments section
"We've been able to get those right in the previous [two] tournaments. We've been able to give people time [to recover from injuries, having named them in the squad]. But with 23 that's definitely more difficult."
Southgate has already confirmed that he'll name a provisional squad on May 21, two days after the end of the Premier League season. England must then need to submit their final squad by 11pm on June 7, just over an hour after after their final warm-up friendly against Iceland at Wembley.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.