In the FA Cup a club may use five substitutes in a tie and a sixth if extra time is played. The official team sheet is due 60 minutes before kick-off in the qualifying rounds and 75 minutes in the main competition. A club may name seven substitutes in qualifying and nine in the main competition.
Substitutes by stage
Here is the stage-by-stage breakdown for named and used substitutes.
| Stage | May be named | May be used | If extra time is played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying rounds | Seven | Five | One more, a sixth in total |
| Main competition | Nine | Five | One more, a sixth in total |
The stage matters throughout. The qualifying rounds and the main competition do not use the same bench size, even though the number that may be used during the tie is the same in both. How those five may be taken is not.
A club in the competition must field a full strength team. A player whose name is not on the official team sheet may be treated as ineligible to play in that tie.
When the official team sheet is due
The official team sheet is due 60 minutes before kick-off in the qualifying rounds and 75 minutes before kick-off in the main competition.
Those deadlines apply to the official team sheet itself. They are separate from the rules on replacing an injured player before the tie starts.
Replacing an injured player before kick-off
If a player on the official team sheet is injured after the sheet has been submitted but before the tie starts, his club may replace him on the sheet. Before the tie starts, the referee and the opposing club must both be informed, and the sheet must be updated.
Who updates the sheet depends on the stage. In the qualifying rounds, the club updates it. In the main competition, the referee updates it.
How the substitution opportunities work
In the main competition the five permitted substitutes must fit within three substitution opportunities in normal time, with the half-time interval excluded from that count. If extra time is played, there is one additional substitution opportunity in extra time. In the qualifying rounds a club may use its five substitutes at any time during the tie.
Any substitution opportunity not used in normal time carries over into extra time. If the tie goes to extra time, a club may also use one additional substitute in that period, making six in total; in the main competition that sixth substitute may be used either in an opportunity carried over from normal time or in the additional opportunity available in extra time.
In the main competition a concussion substitute sits on top of all of that. If a player suffers a concussion or a possible concussion, the club may use one additional substitute under the relevant IFAB protocol, in addition to the substitutes and opportunities already available.
Who may be in the technical area
Only individuals listed on the official team sheet may occupy the technical area. Outside the semi-finals and the final, the total number of players and club officials in that area must not exceed 14 unless the technical area has more than 14 individual seats. For the semi-finals and the final the governing body advises each club of the number of technical staff and substitutes who may occupy it, and each club must give the referee a list of the permitted number of authorised individuals at least 75 minutes before kick-off.
That limit governs who may be in the technical area during the tie.
FAQ
How many subs can a club name in the FA Cup?
It depends on the stage of the competition. A club may name seven substitutes in the qualifying rounds and nine in the main competition. That is the bench size, not the number that may be used.
Can a team make a sixth substitution in FA Cup extra time?
Yes. If extra time is played, a club may use one additional substitute, taking the total to six. In the main competition that sixth change still has to be made within the permitted substitution opportunities.
When is the team sheet due in the FA Cup?
The official team sheet is due 60 minutes before kick-off in the qualifying rounds and 75 minutes before kick-off in the main competition. The two deadlines apply to different stages.
What happens if a player is injured after the team sheet is handed in?
He may be replaced before the tie starts, but before kick-off the referee and the opposing club must both be informed and the sheet must be updated. In the qualifying rounds the club updates the sheet, while in the main competition the referee does it.