Euro 2020: What happens if a team has a Covid-19 outbreak? The rule changes that have been made to help competitors cope with positive cases

EUROPEAN Championship organisers have made rule changes for the tournament to help teams cope with potential cases of Covid-19.
EURO 2020: Organisers have made rule changes for the tournament to help teams cope with potential cases of Covid-19. Picture: Getty Images.EURO 2020: Organisers have made rule changes for the tournament to help teams cope with potential cases of Covid-19. Picture: Getty Images.
EURO 2020: Organisers have made rule changes for the tournament to help teams cope with potential cases of Covid-19. Picture: Getty Images.

The maximum squad size has been raised from 23 to 26 players, while managers will be able to make five substitutions per match instead of three.

Should England have, for example, six players isolating at one time, the depth of their squad should allow a starting XI to be named along with nine substitutes.

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Teams must fulfil their tournament fixtures if they have a minimum of 13 available players.

Should more than half of a 26-man squad be in isolation, games can be postponed and rescheduled by Uefa within 48 hours, if it allows a team to reach the 13-man threshold. They can potentially be relocated.

If a team that is severely afflicted by Covid-19 has no immediate prospect of playing, they will forfeit the match and their opponents will be awarded a 3-0 win.

Any player who tests positive must immediately isolate from the rest of the squad to contain the outbreak.

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Team-mates or staff deemed to have had close contact with the infected players must do the same.

EURO 2020: The tournament kicked off yesterday as Italy defeated Turkey 3-0 in Rome. Picture: Getty Images.EURO 2020: The tournament kicked off yesterday as Italy defeated Turkey 3-0 in Rome. Picture: Getty Images.
EURO 2020: The tournament kicked off yesterday as Italy defeated Turkey 3-0 in Rome. Picture: Getty Images.

Scotland, Spain and Sweden have all seen players forced to isolate ahead of the tournament.

Sweden's squad have been subjected to stricter Covid-19 measures after forward Dejan Kulusevski and midfielder Mattias Svanberg tested positive earlier this week.

A series of measures have been adopted, including daily antigen tests and an increased number of PCR tests. Indoor meetings are being held in smaller groups and in the biggest rooms available at their training camp.

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Time limits have also been set on players receiving treatment with sessions to be held outdoors if possible.

On Wednesday, Spain brought in six standby players - including Leeds United striker Rodrigo - in a separate training 'bubble' as a precautionary measure after positive tests in their main squad. They also added 11 under-21s to the bubble.

If a player in the main squad is replaced, they cannot later be recalled.

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