The 24 competing nations at next month’s FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021™ will be allowed to nominate 16 players per delegation instead of 14*. The increase in playing personnel is a Covid-19 countermeasure and allows additional flexibility for each squad. The squad increase is not the only change for Lithuania 2021, with video support (VS) to be used for the first time at the Futsal World Cup. The FIFA Council approved the measure earlier this year and is in line with FIFA’s goal of leveraging technology to improve the football experience. The tournament will also feature recently approved amendments to the Laws of the Game. The FIFA Council’s approved amendments make for a clearer alignment between the Laws of the Game for Futsal and Football, and include five penalty kicks in the shoot-out, instead of the previous amount of three. The tournament will take place between 12 September and 3 October across three venues in Lithuania.

* It is important to mention that the matchday squads are still limited to 14 players, as per the laws of the game, which permit a maximum of nine substitutes.