sport news Gareth Southgate allowed to select 26-man World Cup squad, with all players ... trends now Gareth Southgate gets the green light to select a 26-man squad for the World Cup with all players available from the bench - preventing an awkward cut of three stars before a fixture By Sami Mokbel For Mailonline Published: 17:00 BST, 23 June 2022 | Updated: 17:04 BST, 23 June 2022 Viewcomments England manager Gareth Southgate has been handed the green light to select 26 players in his World Cup squad. And in what will come as a major boost to the Three Lions boss, he will be able to select all of his players in a match-day squad. The call eliminates the awkward decision of having to axe three members before a fixture. FIFA have approved 26-man squads for Qatar 2022, which kicks off in November. Historically nations have been limited to selecting 23 players. However, since the Covid pandemic, the governing bodies have relaxed rules amid concerns over player welfare and an increased risk of injuries. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility