The UEFA is planning to expand the squad size to 26 players for the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany

England and Scotland are poised to take advantage of the opportunity to select 26 players for the upcoming European Championships this summer. Recently, UEFA voted in favor of allowing expanded squads, changing the existing 23-player limit to 26. This proposal had initially been discussed during a meeting of all the nations’ coaches in Dusseldorf, and it has now received formal approval from the UEFA national competitions committee. This alteration comes after the usage of enlarged squads in the 2021 Euros, which was a measure intended to assist nations in managing the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, this decision is expected to establish a new standard for all UEFA national competitions in the future. While it is pending final confirmation by the UEFA executive committee (EXCO), it is widely anticipated that the rule change will be endorsed as a mere formality. Although the EXCO will not convene in person until May 22, customary practice suggests that such decisions are typically ratified remotely and this could potentially happen later in the current week.

For Gareth Southgate and Steve Clarke, this news comes as a welcome development, particularly considering the challenges both England and Scotland have faced due to injuries with the European Championship fast approaching. The timing of the decision is crucial, given that both teams are dealing with significant injury concerns. With just under eight weeks until the Euros kick off, it raises the question of whether these injuries will impact the final squad selection for Scotland, managed by Steve Clarke.

In recent weeks, midfielder Lewis Ferguson underwent surgery, while Stuart Armstrong saw his season come to an early end due to injury. Additionally, the availability of right-backs Nathan Patterson and Aaron Hickey remains uncertain. These injuries have presented Clarke with unexpected challenges, leaving him with a number of crucial decisions to make at this stage of the season.

Following their friendly defeats in March, Scotland has only two more warm-up games scheduled – against Finland and Gibraltar in June – before kicking off their tournament campaign against Germany. The team’s preparation for the upcoming Euros has undoubtedly been affected by these injury setbacks, adding an extra layer of complexity to the already demanding task of finalizing the squad selection.