EURO 2020 UEFA has rules that determine everything from A to Z in major tournaments such as the European Football Championship (EURO 2020).
UEFA’s rules for the tournament consist of 70 pages and 19 thousand words.
UEFA has brought together 10 critical regulations that it thinks football fans might miss, within such detailed regulations on its website:
1. Championship Cup
The final match of EURO 2020 will be played on 11 July at London’s Wembley Stadium.
The Henri Delaunay Cup, the official UEFA European Championship trophy, will be presented to the winning team at the award ceremony to be held after the match.
However, contrary to popular belief, teams do not take this trophy back to their countries. After the ceremony, UEFA takes back the original trophy and the champion team is given a life-size copy of this trophy.
In addition, if the winning team wants to take the trophy given to them to another country for any reason, it must obtain written permission from UEFA.
The winning team is also presented with 40 gold medals to be distributed among the players and the technical staff, and 40 silver medals to the other finalists.
Each team participating in the championship is given a commemorative plaque.
2. Exit the group in case of a tie
If two teams with the same score meet in the last match of the group stage of the tournament and this match ends in a draw, the side that will go to the next round is determined by penalties.
This scenario has yet to occur in any major tournament. But in EURO 2008, this scenario came very close.
In the last match of Group A in EURO 2008, two teams with the same score faced Turkey and Czech Republic. Czech Republic took a 2-0 lead, but Turkey made a great comeback and made the match 2-2.
While entering the last minutes with this score, the expectation of many people was that the team leaving the group would be determined by penalties. However, in the 89th minute, Nihat Kahveci scored the goal that put Turkey ahead and Turkey was out of the group.
When the group stage is completed, if more than two teams complete the same score, other criteria will be decisive in determining the team that will leave the group, starting with the match they played among themselves.
3. Replay of the match
If, for any reason, a match in the tournament cannot start or be completed, it is foreseen to be played again on the same field the next day.
According to the rules, an unfinished match starts from the moment it was interrupted.
In this case, the yellow and red cards also carry over into the replayed match. However, teams are given the right to make changes to the team roster, with the exception of the red card.
If any of the teams drops to seven players, the match is suspended.
SOURCE, REUTERS
4. Squad and substitutions
In order to overcome the inconveniences of players in the tournament, such as testing positive for COVID-19 or quarantining themselves due to contact due to the pandemic, UEFA increased the maximum number of players in their squads for this tournament from 23 to 26.
However, during a match, only 23 players will be able to go on the field, 11 of them on the field and 12 on the bench.
After the rosters have been sent to UEFA, teams will be able to make unlimited substitutions before the first match in case of serious injury or illness.
If one of the goalkeepers is injured so that they cannot continue in the tournament, a new name can be included during the tournament, even if the other two goalkeepers in the roster are able to play.
Players who have been removed from the roster are not allowed to be taken back.
The number of substitutions allowed in matches is five. It is possible to replace the sixth player in matches that go into overtime.
However, a maximum of three stoppages of the match are allowed for substitutions.
5. Schedule of the matchday
Teams are required to be at the stadium at least 75 minutes before kick-off on match day.
In addition, the starting 11 to play must also be handed over to the referees at least 75 minutes before.
UEFA has a regulation that will remind the teams of the warm-up times on the pitch and when they must be present in the tunnel.
The maximum duration of the teams’ national anthems played before the match is also limited to 90 seconds.
6. Passport control for football players
In accordance with UEFA rules, it is foreseen to check at least twice whether the players in the squad have the right to play for the national team they wear.
For this reason, UEFA calls on the players in the squad to carry their picture ID cards or passports with them.
Players who cannot prove that they have the right to play in the national team whose jersey they wear are expelled.
7. Jersey numbers
In accordance with UEFA rules, the jersey numbers of the players in the squad will be listed from 1 to 26.
Again, according to the rules, the number 1 jersey must be allocated to the goalkeeper.
The distribution of the remaining 25 numbers is left to the discretion of the teams.
In the event that another player on the field passes into the goal in a situation where the goalkeeper cannot continue the match, it is another rule to keep a jersey of the same color as the goalkeeper’s jersey, but without a number, for that player to wear.
8. Bench layout
Arrangements are made for teams to have a maximum of 18 people in the bench.
12 of the people who can sit on the bench are substitute players. One of the remaining six people is expected to be a team doctor and the other five to be from the technical team.
In addition, a special section, separate from the audience, will be created for teams with more technical staff, where they can sit behind the bench and watch the match.
9. Post-match interviews
Under UEFA regulations, teams’ coaches and one player are required to give an interview at the courtside to the official broadcaster in their home country immediately after the match, as soon as the match is over.
After that, it is foreseen that the coach and “four important football players who have influenced the result” will give interviews to other broadcasting organizations within 15 minutes of the final whistle of the match. Among the players subject to this rule is the official “player of the match” selected football player.
Within 20 minutes of the end of the match, the coach will hold a press conference.
10. Official name of the tournament
The official name of this organization is the 2018-2020 UEFA European Championship final tournament.
However, it is called UEFA EURO 2020 for short.
This is the 16th European Championship ever held.
The 17th championship will be held in Germany in 2024