Premier League approves 5 substitutions for rest of season

Following in the footsteps of the Bundesliga, the Premier League announced Thursday that clubs will be able to make five substitutions, rather than the standard three, for the remainder of the season.

Teams will also be allowed to have nine substitutes on the bench for each match when play resumes, up from the usual seven.

The move comes after the sport's lawmaker, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), made the recommendation last month to increase the substitution allowance.

Given the congested fixture list that each league is facing upon their return from the pandemic-induced work stoppage, minimizing injury risk has been one of the key topics on the agenda for all of Europe's top leagues.

Despite the increased number of substitutions allowed, teams can only make changes on three occasions during a match, according to Rob Harris of The Associated Press.

The Premier League, which has been on hiatus since March 13, is slated to return June 17.