Soccer is a game where two teams compete against each other. The team that scores the most goals wins the game, while the outcome is a draw if they score equal goals.
The number of players on a soccer team is eleven. It includes one goalkeeper, which is compulsory. The same applies to the opposing team. So, in total, when a game begins, there are 22 players on the soccer ground.
While this number is fixed, the number of players allowed on the substitute’s bench varies based on different tournaments and countries. This article tells you everything about the number of players on a soccer team.
Number Of Players In Early Soccer
The history of soccer taught us that Cuju was the first form of soccer played in China. However, the number of players that participated in the game was different from that of today.
Soccer, as of today, involves eleven players from each team. Cuju, on the other hand, consisted of two teams of 12 to 16 players. In addition, the Cuju game required kicking the ball into the opposition’s goal.
Soccer With Fewer Players
There exist other types of soccer tournaments, such as the 5-aside, 3-aside, etc. These competitions somehow already tell you about the number of players involved based on their names.
For example, a 5-aside soccer game involves five players from each team. Pretty straightforward, right. However, this article deals with soccer that involves teams of 11 players each. So, let’s dive deeper into the post.
Number Of Players On The Substitute Bench
The number of players allowed on the substitute’s bench on a soccer team varies based on the soccer tournament and their leagues.
For example, in 2021, the number of players allowed on the substitutes bench in the English Premier League is nine. On the other hand, the total number of substitutions permitted in the game is three.
If we consider Serie A, the number of players on the bench for each team is nine, while the maximum number of substitutions allowed per game is five. In the Eredivisie, eleven players are on the substitute bench, while five changes are permitted during the game.
Minimum Players On A Soccer Team
The maximum number of soccer players allowed at the start of a soccer game is eleven. It includes one goalkeeper, which is compulsory. However, the minimum number of players is only seven.
If a team has performed the maximum number of substitutions allowed during a game and is faced with having less than seven players on the ground due to injuries or red cards, the match is forfeited.
Besides, a team can start a soccer match with only seven players are on the soccer ground. Again, the presence of a goalkeeper within the squad of seven players is compulsory.
Squad Limit In Soccer Competitions
At the start of every soccer competition, each team is required number to submit a squad list. This list consists of players who can represent the team during the tournament. The same applies to international matches.
The squad limit can change over time. Below is the squad limit of all the major soccer competitions as of 2021.
[wptb id=9420]The UEFA European Championship squad limit was raised from 23 to 26 during the Euro 2020 campaign due to the covid-19 pandemic. The same was applied to Copa America, where Argentina won the competition in 2021.
We could not get the exact squad number for the Eredivisie, La Liga, and Ligue 1. However, we will update the same when they become available.
- References:
Date accessed: September 23, 2021. Health Ahoy: Chinese Cuju (Ancient Soccer). https://bit.ly/3u2mST2 - Date accessed: September 23, 2021. FlashScore Website: https://bit.ly/3lOSF6u
