Why is a world cup squad limited to 23 players

[Joe's ice cream]

As the title suggests, why are world cup squads only limited to 23 players, aftreall a team can only
play 11th players and named subs, so why the limit on squad numbers?

Please help, this is taking over the office conversation and we all relise that we have no idea!!

[Andy74]

As the title suggests, why are world cup squads only limited to 23 players, aftreall a team can only
play 11th players and named subs, so why the limit on squad numbers?

Please help, this is taking over the office conversation and we all relise that we have no idea!!

There has to be a line somewhere - are you suggesting that the entire nation of footballers could all be registered to play at a tournament?

[PeterboroHibee]

It used to be 22, so basically you can take 2 players for every position, but got put up to 23 so you can take 3 goalkeepers.

As has been said, there has to be a limit, and 2 players for every position should be enough for the tournament.

[MyJo]

It wouldn't really be fair if teams like Italy or England could have a vast number of players in the squad to rotate around and keep fitter and counteract injuries mid-tournament while small nations like Honduras only have a small squad to rely on in the same tournament.

[steviecarnie]

also costs, fifa pay fa's for the players who are in the squad, and that money is passed on to the clubs to help with wages (i assume) if there was unlimited players per nation, fifa wouldnt make money due to paying all these wages.

[hibsforeurope]

It would make the tournament far more interesting, not that its boring just now, to limit the squads to say 18-20 players. This could even it up a bit for the smaller teams as the competition progresses.

[Part/Time Supporter]

also costs, fifa pay fa's for the players who are in the squad, and that money is passed on to the clubs to help with wages (i assume) if there was unlimited players per nation, fifa wouldnt make money due to paying all these wages.

:agree:

Cheapskate SFA only took 13 players to the 1954 WC.

I'm sure plenty of blazers made the trip though.

:greengrin

[seanraff07]

As said already their has to be a limit at some point.

England would have more people in their squad than Honduras have living in their country, wouldn't be very fair at all.

[Jim44]

:agree:

Cheapskate SFA only took 13 players to the 1954 WC.

I'm sure plenty of blazers made the trip though.

:greengrin

To be fair, there were no subs in these days and bad injuries, certainly the niggly ones, common among today's prima donnas, were few and far between. Players wanted and had to play every week or their wages were non-existant. Going to a match at ER back then, you would almost certainly know what the team was before you got near the stadium.