19/06/2026
๐
๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐: ๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ. ๐๐ง ๐๐ฉ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐
๐๐
๐, ๐๐
๐๐, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐
๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
Dear President of FIFA, Esteemed Members of IFAB, and Guardians of the Beautiful Game,
As a lifelong follower and student of football, I write this letter with great respect for the game we all cherish and for the institutions that have guided its growth across generations.
Football has evolved continuously. From the introduction of goal-line technology and VAR to concussion protocols and five-player substitutions, the sport has shown a willingness to adapt when change serves fairness, player welfare, and the integrity of competition.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ
Today, I wish to respectfully propose another reform worthy of serious consideration:
๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
At first glance, this may seem unconventional. However, a closer examination reveals that such a change could improve player welfare, tactical flexibility, and the overall quality of football's most dramatic moments.
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐
Every football fan has witnessed the same scenario countless times. A key player is exhausted. Another is struggling with an injury. Some can barely run after 120 minutes of intense football. Yet coaches hesitate to substitute them. Why? Because those players are among the team's designated penalty takers. As a result, managers are forced into an impossible choice.
Football has masterfully evolved with goal-line technology, VAR, and the transition to five substitutions. Yet, the penalty shootout rule remains stuck in an era that didn't understand modern sports science or high-velocity cognitive fatigue.
Being a world-class footballer does not automatically make someone a composed penalty taker; conversely, being a clinical penalty specialist shouldn't force a coach to mismanage an athlete's physical limits over 120 grinding minutes.
When a team loses under such circumstances, discussion often shifts away from football and toward second-guessing substitution decisions. The coach may have made the right decision for the game itself, yet be punished because the rules discourage proper squad management. Football should reward sound coaching, not force managers into unnecessary risks.
๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐:
๐. ๐๐-๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐: Modern football places unprecedented physical demands on players. Forcing an exhausted or mildly injured player to stay on the pitch just to take a spot-kick directly contradicts FIFA's growing commitment to player safety and concussion protocols.
๐. ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐ซ๐-๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ฌ: Currently, extra-time periods are frequently stale because managers hoard substitutions or refuse to take off fatigued stars. Allowing substituted players back only for the shootout would incentivize coaches to make bold, tactical, game-winning changes in extra time.
๐. ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐: Shootouts are viewed by hundreds of millions. Elevating the technical ex*****on by ensuring the best, most composed takers are at the spot rather than exhausted players suffering from full-body cramps, preserves the premium quality of football's ultimate drama.
๐. ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: This reform requires no complex overhauls. Any player listed on the matchday squad who actively touched the pitch before being substituted can simply be eligible for the shootout list. The traditional "reduce to equate" rule remains perfectly intact.
๐. ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ: Far too often players continue despite muscle fatigue, cramps, or minor injuries because they are expected to take penalties. A revised rule would remove that unnecessary burden and potentially prevent serious injuries.
๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ
Critics may argue that allowing substituted players to return would undermine the traditional principle that substitutions are final. However, football has adapted many long-standing traditions when the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. The proposal need not allow substituted players to re-enter active play. Their participation could be restricted exclusively to penalty shootouts after extra time. This would preserve the integrity of substitutions while solving a genuine problem within the game.
Many reforms once considered radical are now accepted parts of the game.
* VAR was controversial.
* Five substitutions were controversial.
* Goal-line technology was controversial.
Today, few would argue that these innovations have not improved football. The same open-minded discussion should be extended to penalty shootout regulations.
๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐:
* Any player listed in the matchday squad who participated in the match before being substituted may be eligible for a penalty shootout.
* Substituted players may return only for the shootout and not for active play.
* Teams would still nominate the required number of penalty takers.
* Existing "reduce to equate" procedures could remain unchanged.
This would be simple to administer and easy for fans to understand.
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Football's greatest strength has always been its ability to evolve while preserving its essence. Allowing substituted players to participate in penalty shootouts would not diminish the sport. Rather, it would encourage better coaching decisions, improve player welfare, reduce unnecessary risks, and enhance one of football's most dramatic spectacles.
I therefore respectfully urge FIFA and IFAB to study this proposal, consult players, coaches, referees, medical professionals, and supporters, and consider whether the time has come for another thoughtful evolution of the world's game.
Football belongs to all of us. And every generation has a responsibility to leave it better than it found it.
Respectfully,
Adamu AbdulMalik Sokowonci
A Passionate Follower of the Beautiful Game
