England absences highlight lack of formal process for national squad withdrawals
September 22, 2026 11:41
Five England players — Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento — withdrew from the squad with injuries ahead of forthcoming UEFA Nations League matches.
HOW WITHDRAWALS WORK OUTSIDE MAJOR TOURNAMENTS
There is no formal, standardised process for players to withdraw from international squads outside major tournaments. BBC Sport understands the Football Association allows withdrawals after a conversation between the medical departments of the player’s club and the national team, and that medical assessments are often carried out by both parties. It is believed other associations use a similar approach, with protocols left to each nation.
DIFFERENT RULES FOR MAJOR TOURNAMENTS
By contrast, major tournaments such as the World Cup or European Championship have stricter rules. To withdraw from a final tournament squad through injury, some level of medical proof is required and must be approved before a player can be replaced. There is also a more formal process for adding players at major tournaments, usually before a team’s opening match for outfield players; goalkeepers face fewer restrictions because of the specialised position.
WHAT UEFA REQUIRES FOR THE NATIONS LEAGUE
UEFA has no restrictions on squad withdrawals outside finals; for the Nations League it requires only that nations submit a 23‑player matchday squad by 23:59 Central European Time the day before the match. For the Nations League finals, teams must submit squads of 26 players.