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FIFA confirms roster changes for Olympic soccer
By ROB HARRIS and ANNE M. PETERSONJuly 1, 2021 GMT
FIFA has confirmed that Olympic soccer rosters can include 22 players, but only 18 can be available for individual matches.
Traditionally, Olympic rosters are 18 players and four alternates. The alternates can only be used in case of injury, and once replaced, a player cannot return.
The change means that all 22 players are available to the participating teams. It was implemented because of the challenges the coronavirus has posed to teams worldwide.
“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made official a more flexible approach towards the participation of the alternate athletes in the Olympic Football Tournaments Tokyo 2020. As a result, the Participating Member Associations will be entitled to reconstitute their teams ahead of every match,” FIFA said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Match officials appointed for Olympic Football Tournaments Tokyo 2020 04/23/21
The FIFA Referees Committee has appointed 99 match officials (25 referees, 50 assistant referees, 20 video match officials and four support referees) from 51 countries to officiate the Olympic Football Tournaments Tokyo 2020.
The women’s tournament opens on 21 July 2021 with Great Britain facing Chile at the Sapporo Dome, and concludes with the gold medal game on 6 August 2021 with the final at the Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, which will also be the setting for the Olympic Games’ opening and closing ceremonies. The men’s competition begins on 22 July 2021 with Egypt versus Spain at the Sapporo Dome, with the gold medal game taking place on 7 August 2021 at the International Stadium, Yokohama. More details can be found on FIFA.com.