Ghana Premier League adopts five substitutions for 2021/22 season

The Ghana Premier League (GPL) will adopt five substitutions for the upcoming 2021/22 season, the country’s Football Association has indicated.

In May 2020, football’s international law-makers, IFAB, gave competitions the option of increasing substitutes to protect player welfare amid a congested fixture schedule in response to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic to complete the 2019/20 season.

The temporary amendment was further extended until December 31, 2022, “for all top-level competitions”, with its implementation at the discretion of individual competition organizers.

A number of leagues across the world adopted this rule allowing teams to use five substitutes, instead of the standard three.

And Ghana is now following in the footsteps of other leagues like the PSL.

“The GFA held a successful online meeting with the Club CEOs ahead of the league kick-off which is scheduled for Friday, October 29.

“The issues discussed at the meeting include preparations for the league kick off, the use of five substitutes for league matches and club access to the Competition Management System,” read a publication on ghanafa.org.

The rule will be in place for the entire 2021/22 season, which is set to kick off Friday, October 29 and run through to Sunday, June 19, 2022.

• How it works

Match-day squads increase from 18 to a pool of 20 players, giving coaches the freedom to name nine substitutes instead of the usual seven after choosing their best starting XI.

Clubs will be able to make five substitutions, rather than three, in each match.

In order to reduce possible dirsuption of the game, teams have only three opportunites to take full advantage of the provision and make their five substitutions.

Clubs were permitted to register 40 players for the season, 10 of which are to fall under the age of 17.