An Examination of the Impact of the Updated Substitution Rule on Team Performance in Football After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the impact of the updated five-substitution rule in professional football leagues following the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on its effects on team performance across four major European leagues: the English Premier League (EPL), Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga. Football, a sport with global significance, experienced substantial disruptions during the pandemic, leading to new strategies for player management and game tactics. The five-substitution rule, introduced to mitigate player fatigue and injury risks during congested match schedules, became a pivotal tactical tool for coaches. Using match data from the 2019/2020 season, this research compares team performance before and after the pandemic by examining substitution patterns and their correlations with changes in league rankings and European competition participation. The results reveal significant differences in substitution strategies between teams that maintained or improved their rankings and those that declined. In the EPL, for instance, teams that retained their standings utilized all five substitutions in 42.4% of matches, while teams that dropped in rankings used the full allowance in only 11.1%. Similar trends were observed in the Bundesliga and Serie A, highlighting the importance of substitution strategies in competitive contexts. This study offers valuable insights for coaches and sports scientists, demonstrating the critical role of effective substitution management in optimizing team performance during unprecedented periods of play.
Authors: Naci Kalkan, Emre Gürbüz, Murat Taş
Institution: Manisa Celal Bayar University
Language: English
Subfield: Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7117463112