Complete Guide to Substitutions in Soccer

Knowing how many substitutions a particular league or level of soccer allows can be complex and vary from level to level of soccer. Fortunately for you, we have done the research to provide you with a complete and exhaustive guide to substitution rules for soccer across various leagues and levels.

Are The Number Of Substitutions the Same Across All Leagues and Levels of Soccer?

No. The number of substitutions can vary by league and level of soccer. However, most professional leagues abide by the International Football Association Board revision of Law Three to allow five (5) substitutions per game.

Enclosed below is a table of containing many leagues and levels of soccer and the number of substitutions allowed:

League	Level	Number of Substitutions Allowed	Comments
Premier League – Men’s	Professional	5
Premier Leagues – Women’s	Professional	5
MLS	Professional	5	used over course of three opportunities, excluding half-time but including drinking/cooling breaks
NWSL	Professional	5
US College Men	Collegiate	up to 11 at time	See explanation and details in next section below table
US College Women	Collegiate	up to 11 at time	See explanation and details in next section below table
US High School Soccer Boys	Scholastic	unlimited
US High School Soccer Girls	Scholastic	unlimited
US Youth Soccer	Youth	unlimited
Bundesliga – Men	Professional	5
Bundesliga – Women	Professional	5
La Liga	Professional	5
Liga MX	Professional	5
Serie A	Professional	5
K-League	Professional	5
J-League	Professional	5

Number of Substitutions allowed by League and Level

What are the Substitution Rules for College Soccer?

The rules allow for up to 11 substitutions are one time. However, once a player has been subbed off, the rules for re-entry of that player are the following:

Period	Re-entry allowed?
first half	no re-entry
second half	1 re-entry
1st overtime period	no re-entry
2nd overtime period	no re-entry

NCAA soccer player substitution re-entry rules table

This rules defined above apply to both NCAA men’s and women’s soccer.

Looking for a primer on offsides in soccer? Check out our Guide to Offsides in Soccer! This guide provides everything you need to know about offsides whether you are a player, coach or a parent of a soccer player.

What are the Substitution Rules for US High School Soccer?

The number of substitutions and re-entries in US high school soccer is unlimited.

What are the Substitution Rules for US Youth Soccer?

The number of substitutions are re-entries in US Youth Soccer is unlimited. Quoting Tom Hart at US Youth Soccer, “Generally, substitutions are made prior to throw-in by your team, after a goal, prior to a goal kick by either team, at half-time, or because of injury.“

Can a Soccer Player Who Has Been Substituted Come Back On?

The answer depends on the level of soccer. For professional soccer leagues, the answer in no. Once the player has been subbed off, the player cannot re-enter the game. For college soccer governed by the NCAA, a player subbed off in the first half can re-enter in the second half. For High School and Youth Soccer leagues, players can re-enter the game after being subbed off on an unlimited basis.

Level	Can Subbed off players re-enter game?
Professional	No
NCAA College Soccer	Yes in second half if subbed off in first half
US High School	Yes (unlimited)
US Youth Soccer	Yes (unlimited)

Soccer player re-entry rules after being substituted for by level table

Are There Specific Soccer Substitution Rules for Players Suffering Potential Concussions?

The answer depends on the league. Some professional leagues have recently started to implement special substitution rules for players that might have suffered a concussion.

In the United States, US Soccer, MLS and the NWSL have implemented a program that allows teams up to two additional substitutions for players who are suspected to have a concussion. The Premier League will also allow for up to two substitutions for players who may have suffered a concussion.

In both the US and Premier League cases, if the team with a concussed player subs them out, the opposing team is also granted an additional substitution.

Why Do Leagues Limit the Number of Substitutions Allowed in Soccer?

There are several reasons why leagues limit substitution in soccer. The two main reasons are:

To minimize the disruption to the ebb and flow of the game
To prevent richer teams with better depth players from having an outsized advantage

The first reason, minimizing disruption to the game, is fairly obvious. If there were unlimited substitutions in professional soccer, the games would take much longer and the rhythm of the game would be halted. This would result in less compelling matches which would turn off the fans and make the games less watchable.

The second reason is talent disparity. In the top leagues of professional soccer in particular, there is a wide gap in finances between the top teams and the smaller clubs. The wealth gap is increasing and makes it harder for the smaller clubs to compete. This limits the ability for smaller clubs to have experienced, high quality reserve players when compared to their deeper-pocketed competition.

Having no limit to substitutions in leagues like the Premier League would further the divide between the rich and smaller clubs and would break the competitive balance of the league.

How Does a Player Get Subbed On in a Soccer Match?

The process of a player being subbed into a match is the following:

The referee is alerted that a substitute player is there
When an appropriate moment is available for the substitution to be made, the referee will allow the player leaving the game to exit the field
Once the subbed out player has left the field, the replacement player can enter the field of play

There may be occasions, albeit rare, where a player refuses to be substituted for. In this case, the referee will wave off the substitution and the player currently in the game will remain in the game.

Summary

Substitutions are a critical component of soccer. The ability to leverage reserve players at key moments of the match can be the difference between winning and losing. I hope this guide was helpful to you. Good luck.