Research Article

An Examination of the Impact of the Updated Substitution Rule on Team Performance in Football After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Volume: 3 Number: 2 December 29, 2025
TR EN

An Examination of the Impact of the Updated Substitution Rule on Team Performance in Football After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the updated five-substitution rule in professional football leagues following the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on its effects on team performance across four major European leagues: the English Premier League (EPL), Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga. Football, a sport with global significance, experienced substantial disruptions during the pandemic, leading to new strategies for player management and game tactics. The five-substitution rule, introduced to mitigate player fatigue and injury risks during congested match schedules, became a pivotal tactical tool for coaches. Using match data from the 2019/2020 season, this research compares team performance before and after the pandemic by examining substitution patterns and their correlations with changes in league rankings and European competition participation. The results reveal significant differences in substitution strategies between teams that maintained or improved their rankings and those that declined. In the EPL, for instance, teams that retained their standings utilized all five substitutions in 42.4% of matches, while teams that dropped in rankings used the full allowance in only 11.1%. Similar trends were observed in the Bundesliga and Serie A, highlighting the importance of substitution strategies in competitive contexts. This study offers valuable insights for coaches and sports scientists, demonstrating the critical role of effective substitution management in optimizing team performance during unprecedented periods of play.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Bu makalede sunulan araştırma, kamuya açık olan ve herkesin erişimine sunulmuş istatistiksel veri setleri kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında insan veya hayvan denekler üzerinde herhangi bir uygulama yapılmamış, kişisel veriler toplanmamış veya işlenmemiştir. Verilerin toplanma sürecinde araştırmacılar, herhangi bir birey veya kurumla doğrudan bir etkileşime girmemiştir. Bu nedenlerle, çalışmamız Yükseköğretim Kurumları (YÖK) Bilimsel Araştırma ve Yayın Etiği Yönergesi'nin ilgili maddeleri uyarınca etik kurul onayı gerektirmeyen çalışmalar kapsamındadır ve bu doğrultuda Etik Kurul Onay Belgesi alınmamıştır.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Sports Science and Exercise (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

December 29, 2025

Publication Date

December 29, 2025

Submission Date

June 12, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 25, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 3 Number: 2

APA
Kalkan, N., Gürbüz, E., & Taş, M. (2025). An Examination of the Impact of the Updated Substitution Rule on Team Performance in Football After the COVID-19 Pandemic. Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Sports Sciences, 3(2), 24-37. https://doi.org/10.70701/makusbd.1718130

 

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University Journal of Sports Sciences is a scientific and refereed journal published twice a year in June and December.
 

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