Copa America 2024: CONMEBOL set to introduce new substitutions rule in quadrennial tournament

The Copa America 2024 is less than a month away as the footballers gear up for the quadrennial international men's soccer championship organized by South America's football ruling body, CONMEBOL. The tournament has been scheduled to take place in the United States of America. 16 teams have been drawn in four groups and the top 2 will be qualifying for the knockout round. Argentina are the defending champions of the tournament as they defeated Brazil in the final last time. 

Ahead of the tournament, the CONMEBOL has decided that a change in rules will also be applied to the other tournaments organised by the body, following the commencement of the Copa America. The new rule that will be applied will have the option of an additional substitution in the event of a concussion or suspected head trauma during the game. 

As of now, five substitutes can be used in a game, this rule was implemented during the COVID-19 time to protect players from the demands of an increasingly attritional sport. Previously, it was only three and as the time is changing with CONMEBOL introducing a new rule, this might also take place in world football in the upcoming years as the game of football has sometimes been rough for the players.

Will world football introduce a concussion substitute?

Several head injuries have urged the use of concussion substitutes in football, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) enshrining them in football's statutes in March, but leaving it up to organizers of individual events to execute the same. 

CONMEBOL said in a statement, "In addition to the five changes per team authorized by the regulations, a potential sixth will be added to take care of the health of the players. This is an extra substitution in the event of a suspected head injury or concussion. To do so, the main referee or the fourth official must be informed and a pink card will be used."