European Championship organiser UEFA announced that it is open to the possibility of increasing squad sizes from 23 to 26 players for the upcoming tournament in Germany. This decision comes in response to concerns raised by national team coaches regarding the high number of injuries in modern football.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, UEFA had allowed for expanded 26-man squads during Euro 2020 and FIFA's 2022 World Cup. This adjustment proved beneficial in cases where players needed to be isolated for health reasons, as replacements were readily available within the team camp.
However, UEFA had previously settled on 23-player squads for Euro 2024. In an effort to address the coaches' feedback, UEFA will be convening a workshop with representatives from all 24 participating teams in Düsseldorf, Germany on April 8.
The European football body expressed its willingness to listen to the views of the coaches during the workshop and assured that any proposals for squad size adjustments would be carefully considered and evaluated.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has been vocal about the need for larger squads, emphasizing the importance of managing players' workload and minimizing injury risks. Koeman's sentiments were echoed by England coach Gareth Southgate, who acknowledged the benefits of having additional players to cover for potential injuries.
While some coaches have expressed support for expanding squad sizes to 26, it remains uncertain how many of the 24 teams will ultimately push for this change. The upcoming Euro 2024 tournament is scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 14 across 10 cities in Germany.
