Fifa has proposed that teams should be allowed to make up to five substitutions per match, instead of the usual three, as a temporary measure to help cope with potential fixture congestion in the aftermath of coronavirus.

Football is at a standstill since mid-March but many leagues and federations are hoping to complete the season.

The proposal for more substitutes would have to be approved by soccer’s rule-making organisation IFAB and the final decision would rest with competition organisers, the sport’s global governing body said.

“One concern in this regard is that the higher-than-normal frequency of matches may increase the risk of potential injuries due to a resulting player overload,” Fifa said.

It added that the substitutions would have to be made in a maximum of three slots plus the half-time interval. The measure would apply to this season and next season plus all international matches until December 31 next year.