UEFA abolishes cup-tied rule

The UEFA Cup tied rule which prevents players who have played for one club in a UEFA tournament from featuring for a newly signed club in the same season has been abolished.
This means teams participating in UEFA’s club competitions next season will be able to use new signings who have already played in the tournament for their former sides.

The European football governing body announced the change on Tuesday, following decisions made by UEFA’s executive committee in February and the game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board, earlier this month.

The new law allows clubs register three new players “without any restrictions” after the group stages.
“This is in line with the existing regulatory situation in the different domestic leagues, which does not impose restrictions on the eligibility for competitions of players registered for a new club during the winter transfer window,” UEFA said in a statement explaining its decision to end the “cup tied” rule.
From next season, clubs reaching the Super Cup and the finals of the Champions League and Europa League will be able to have 12 substitutes on the bench – up from the usual seven.
In the statement, UEFA said this will give “coaches more flexibility regarding substitutes, and facilitate their squad management for the most important fixture of the season.”
A fourth substitute in extra time has already been trialled by UEFA in age-group tournaments and is allowed in this season’s FA Cup.