January 08, (THEWILL) –Â With due cognisance of the critical effect the prevalent COVID19 can have on the number of substitutions available to teams at the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has updated the rules that apply.
In a press release made available to the teams, CAF also updated the information on the minimum number of players a team can field, especially due to cases of positive COVID19 tests.
The document read, in full:
“The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 will kick-off tomorrow. Please be advised of the following:
Number of substitute players per match:
CAF will apply the five substitutions per match rule during this competition, as follows:
• Each team will be permitted to use a maximum of five substitutes.
• To reduce disruption to the match, each team will have a maximum of three opportunities to make substitutions during the game; substitutions may also be made at half-time.
• If both teams make a substitution at the same time, this will count as one of the three opportunities for each team.
• Unused substitutions and opportunities are carried forward into extra time.
• Where extra time is played, teams will each be allowed one additional substitution, and will have one additional substitution opportunity; substitutions may also be made before the start of extra time and at half-time in extra time.
Minimum number of players in case of a team affected by COVID-19
• If the result of the Covid-19 PCR test of any player is positive, such player will not be authorised to go to the stadium or participate in the applicable match.
• A team will be required to play a match if they have a minimum of eleven (11) players available who have tested negative. In the event of the absence of a goalkeeper, another player from the team must replace the goalkeeper, provided the total number of available players is at least eleven.
• A team that does not have a minimum of eleven (11) players available will be considered to have lost the match 0-2.
• In exceptional cases, the Organising Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations will take the appropriate decision.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
