In a Premier League match, each team may use up to 5 substitutions from up to 9 named substitutes. Those changes must be made in no more than 3 stoppages, with half-time separate, and a team may also use 1 concussion substitute and/or 1 additional substitute under the concussion protocol.
The basic Premier League substitution limit
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Named substitutes | Up to 9 |
| Substitutions | Up to 5 |
| Substitution opportunities | 3, plus half-time |
| Concussion protocol | 1 concussion substitute and/or 1 additional substitute |
| Substitutes warming up at once | Up to 5 |
The key distinction is between the bench and the players who actually enter the match. A club may list up to 9 substitutes on the team sheet, but no more than 5 of them may take part as standard substitutions in the league match.
The Premier League switched to 5 substitutions per team at the start of 2022/23. Premier League analysis showed average substitutions per match rising from 5.6 in 2021/22 to 7.9 in 2022/23, while substitutes scored 14.8% of goals in the first 203 matches of 2023/24, up from 12.2% in 2022/23.
How the 3 substitution opportunities work
Under Law 3, competitions at this level that allow a maximum of 5 substitutes also give each team a maximum of 3 substitution opportunities during the match, plus the option to make changes at half-time. Half-time does not count as one of the 3 opportunities.
If a team makes several changes in the same stoppage, that still counts as 1 opportunity. If both teams make substitutions at the same stoppage, it counts as a used opportunity for both sides.
What that means in practice
- Two or more players changed in the same stoppage still count as 1 opportunity.
- Using the 5 substitutions across more than 3 in-match stoppages is not allowed.
- A half-time change sits outside those 3 in-match opportunities.
Who can come on, and what happens after a player goes off
The names of substitutes must be given to the referee before kick-off. A substitute who is not named by then cannot take part in the match.
Once the substitution board is shown, the player being replaced must leave within 10 seconds, normally by the nearest point on the boundary line. After being substituted, that player takes no further part in the match.
A player sent off after kick-off cannot be replaced. A named substitute who is sent off also cannot be replaced by someone else.
Concussion substitutes and the extra change
Premier League rules allow more than the standard 5 changes in one specific area: head injury protocol. In addition to the 5 substitutions, each club may use 1 concussion substitute and/or 1 additional substitute, strictly under the IFAB concussion protocol and the League's Head Injury Protocol.
The Premier League introduced the IFAB protocol for additional permanent concussion substitutions in league matches in 2024/25. This is a medical protocol, not an open extra tactical change.
FAQ
When can Premier League teams make substitutions?
They can make them during permitted stoppages in play, with a maximum of 3 in-match substitution opportunities. Teams may also make substitutions at half-time, and those do not use one of the 3 opportunities.
What is a concussion substitute in the Premier League?
It is a separate replacement available under the concussion protocol for head injury situations. It sits outside the standard 5 substitutions and must follow IFAB and Premier League head injury rules.
Can a substituted player come back on?
No. Once a player has been substituted and left the field as required, that player takes no further part in the match.
How many substitutes can warm up at the same time?
No more than 5 substitutes from each club may warm up at once on the perimeter of the pitch. They must wear bibs in the colour set on the Match Day Information Sheet.