UEFA is contemplating the expansion of squad sizes to 26 players for the upcoming European Championship in Germany after discussions with coaches.
Conversations with national team managers whose squads secured qualification for Euro 2024 took place in Dusseldorf on Monday.
Discussions with international bosses whose teams had qualified for Euro 2024 were held in Dusseldorf on Monday.
“Uefa has taken note of the various opinions and points of view shared,” said a statement from European football’s governing body
“A final decision will be made in the coming weeks.”
The matter was addressed within a broader two-day workshop for finalists and will now be presented to UEFA’s National Team Competitions Committee before reaching its Executive Committee.
Currently, squads are restricted to 23 players, reverting to regulations in place before Euro 2020. During that tournament, an allowance of three additional players was made to counteract the potential impact of Covid outbreaks within the squad.
Uefa’s statement added: “The positive discussions highlighted different points of view among coaches, with some expressing a desire to increase the squad size. Others stated their preference to cap the squad size at 23, pointing out the difficulty in training with additional players, group management and the increased financial burdens placed upon national associations.”
Gareth Southgate, the manager of the England team, had initially supported the idea of 23-man squads. However, he has recently expressed a preference for including three extra players to manage the challenges of a demanding end to the domestic season, which has been made “complicated” by the return of personnel from long-term injuries.
After Southgate announces his provisional squad of 26 players on 21 May, the FA Cup, Europa League, and Champions League finals are scheduled to take place. Given that many of his players are expected to participate in these matches, England will then have two additional friendlies in June.
End-of-season timeline
19 May: Premier League final day
21 May: Southgate names provisional Euro 2024 squad
22 May: Europa League final
25 May: FA Cup final
1 June: Champions League final
3 June: England v Iceland
7 June: England v Bosnia-Herzegovina
7 June (late): Deadline for final Euros squad submitted to Uefa
14 June: Euros starts
16 June: England v Serbia (20:00 BST)