Football is among the sporting activities that ha been hard hit by the corona virus pandemic around the world but as the situation appearing to getting back to normal, the international football governing body (FIFA) has adopted new rules in consultancy with member clubs and states to which the clubs will be signatory in a bid to contain the anticipated spread of the pandemic should the sport resume
- 23 players in match day squad will be required not as it was previously were only 16 players were being named in the match day squads and therefore clubs are to add a number of players to their squads so that it enables the team selection to e done easier as well as adhering to the 5 substitutions policy . Clubs with a limited squad may be forced to promote young players from the academies or call back on-loan players to help fill the void created by this new policy
- There shall be two substitutions added on normal 3 player substitutions bringing the total to 5. This is aimed at enabling players who might have been affected mentally and physically by the pandemic to spend less time on the stadium and as well help the coaching staff to have many options since the games are likely to be played in closed doors as its understandable by simposports that clubs have completely declined the proposal of playing on natural grounds and playing under close doors
- All players and everybody who enters the stadium shall e subjected to compulsory temperature taking. Though it’s still undecided on whether fans be allowed into stadiums , its understandable that clubs will take on the costs of ensuring that whoever enters the stadium had hid/temperature taken and the cost could prove to high in case fans are to be allowed into stadiums
- A yellow card penalty shall e instituted on every player or any other person who spits. Spitting being one of the ways the corona-virus spreads; it has compelled FIFA to instruct its referees to punish whoever spits on the pitch on match days
- Clubs will also e required to change kits at half-time as this is intended to ensure that the contacts of players don’t have a huge effect since the kits will be disinfected before and after usage
- Teams travelling by bus shall be required to use two buses for the 23 players and coaching staff. This will enable social distancing of at least 4 meters that will limit the spread of the virus.