Know All About Number of Players and Substitutes in Football

The 2022 Football World Cup is less than a month away, scheduled to be held from 20th November to 18th December, 2022. The Football World Cup takes place in Qatar for the first time, with the first match being played between hosts Qatar and Ecuador on 20th November 2022 (9:30 PM IST) at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor. Get ready, fantasy football fans.

Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the world with millions of fans all over the world. As the World Cup approaches, the popularity of football is only increasing, with more and more people taking an interest in the sport. In this blog post, we cover a primary question about the sport: How many players are on a football team?

How Many Players are in a Football Team?

In a standard football match, there are a maximum of eleven players on the field for each team. One of these players must be a goalkeeper, while the other 10 are outfield players. A match may not start or continue if either team has less than 7 players available on the field or bench. 

Apart from the goalkeeper, there are three more basic positions in football: defenders, midfielders, and strikers. There are also many more sub-positions, depending on the team players and the playing tactics. For example, there can be a central midfielder, a defensive midfielder, and an attacking midfielder in the midfield position.

There are also 5-a-side and 7-a-side matches, but professionally-recognized matches and competitions need to have 11 players in each of the two football teams on the field.

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Number of Players in a Football Team and Substitutes 

Apart from the 11 players playing, several extra players are on the bench who, if needed, can be called in as a substitute player during the match. Currently, the maximum number of substitutions allowed is 5, and one additional substitution during extra time. Atleast one player on the bench must be a goalkeeper.

However, teams are allowed to make substitutions a maximum of three times. It does not include substitutions made at half-time, full-time, and half-time in extra time. Double and triple substitutions are allowed.

Substitution Procedure

The referee must be given the names of the bench players before the start of the match. Any substitute not named by this time cannot participate in the match. 

• Before any substitution is made, the referee needs to be informed.
• The infield player receives the referee’s permission to leave the field, unless already off the field, and must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line. 
• The infield player must go immediately to the technical area and takes no further part in the match.

Football Formations

4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, and 4-3-3  are the most common formations that football coaches and managers prefer during a game. Modern football has seen tactics evolve as the 3-player defense is regularly used nowadays. 3-4-3, 3-5-2, and 3-4-2-1 are also regularly used these days. 5-player defense formation (5-4-1, 5-3-2) is used sparingly and is a tactic of conceding the least amount of goals.

Disciplinary Actions

If a player receives a direct red card or two yellow cards during the same match, he/she is out for the remainder of the match. No substitutions are allowed for that player. For example, one player gets a red card for a foul or challenge, and the concerned team will play the rest of the match with only 10 players. Generally, teams change tactics and formations if this kind of situation happens during a match. 

Football Team Captain

The team captain has no special status or privileges on the field. He/she is required at the coin toss at the start of the match and extra time and is responsible for his/her team's behavior during the match.

FAQs

How many players are in a football team?

There are eleven players in each football team during a match. So a total of 22 players are on the field at one time.

How many substitute players are allowed in football?

A maximum of 5 players are allowed during a game out of 9 players named on the bench. Previously, 7 players were allowed on the bench and a maximum of 3 substitutions.

What are the different positions in a football team?

There are 4 basic positions in a football team - goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward. Only one goalkeeper can be there, while the other 10 players are split into various formations among the other three positions. 

What is the maximum number of players allowed in a football squad?

The maximum number of players permitted in a football squad is 23, out of which 3 must be goalkeepers.