UEFA has approved the expansion of the rosters for the European Championship, coaches can enter 26 players

The highlight of this season will be the European Championship, and 72 more players than originally planned can watch the tournament in Germany as active participants. UEFA approved the change today and allowed coaches to nominate 26 footballers instead of the previous 23.

At the European Championship, according to the regulations, coaches can include 20 field players and three goalkeepers in the nomination. At the last continental championship in 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the limit was increased to 26 footballers, and for the upcoming tournament in Germany, only a twenty-three-member squad was to be used again.

The coach of the Dutch team, Ronald Koeman, opposed this and provoked a number of positive reactions. The idea of ​​increasing the number of players is also supported by the coach of the Czech team, Ivan Hašek, and the chairman of the FAČR, Petr Fousek. According to the BBC, the coach of the English national team, Gareth Southgate, who originally favored the option with 23 players, is also in favor of expanding the nomination.

UEFA discussed the entire initiative and issued its opinion early this evening. “The UEFA Executive Committee decided to expand the squads for the European Championship from 23 to 26 players,” the official statement states that the maximum number of nominees is not mandatory and it is only up to the helmsmen how they will deal with the three extra places.

All 24 Euro participants must report the final nomination by June 7 at the latest.