“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
You may be wondering why it's possible for teams to replace players in their squad even after the World cup has started.
The truth is that ational teams cannot simply recall or swap players whenever they feel like it once the World Cup is underway.
Here is how it works.
According to the Regulations, every nation is required to submit a provisional squad of up to 55 players.
From that pool, they are then to name a final 26, including at least three goalkeepers, on or before FIFA's official deadline.
Once that final squad is locked in, the freedom to make changes almost disappears.
For outfield players, a replacement is only permitted in the case of serious injury or illness, and only up to 24 hours before the team's FIRST match. The replacement must come from that original provisional list, and it requires FIFA Medical Committee approval with proper documentation.
After that 24-hour cutoff, the outfield squad will have to remain unchanged for the entire tournament, group stage through to the final. Any player that gets injured at that point will stay registered but cannot be replaced by another player that's not on the squad list.
Goalkeepers are the exception. Because three keepers are so essential, a goalkeeper can be replaced at any stage of the competition if he is unfit.
We have just seen the outfield rule in action. England lost Tino Livramento to injury before their opener against Croatia and brought in Trevoh Chalobah, who was on standby. It was allowed precisely because it fell inside the 24-hour window.
It's fair, but it's also unforgiving.
I hope you have learned something today.
My name is Ajoje. I am a FIFA Licensed Agent and International Sports Lawyer. I write on the Law and Business of Football, a lot. Repost and Follow if you want to read more posts like this.
Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as Manager of the Men’s Team.
The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
Welcome to Chelsea, Xabi!
This is me during my Shell Recruitment Day in November 2011.
1hr after the whole day group interview, I got the phone call I can never forget, “Congratulations, they all loved you. When can you start?”
If you have an upcoming group interview where they put a bunch of you together in a room and give you a task to work on together, then sit up.
I will tell you my secrets.
I don’t need them anymore and it can help you land your dream job.
They are what I used during my SRD.
I have given the same playbook to many mentees who used them to land their dream jobs in various companies.
So, trust me, this works.
A 🧵
Every time I check my monthly payslip on every payday, I am always frowning at the deductions — NI contribution, pension contribution and tax. It is the tax that I am always angry about the most sha; no one actually likes to pay tax. 😁
I casually logged into my pension account now and I was wowed when I realised that my pension contribution has accumulated to almost £9000 in just four years. Who could have imagined that the little £50, £70 or £90 that is being debited from my monthly salary towards the compulsory pension contribution could have amassed to something as substantial as 8k+? I think it is the same way that those little £50, £60 etc that I always randomly spend to buy fish for barbecue could have amounted to a reasonable sum if I was keeping it aside in savings and investment.
One thing I'll be most intentional about this year is financial discipline. I have to intensify more on long term investments; save more and don't stop investing. The goal is to be rich, not to appear rich. I don't mind being called stingy. People don't care about the poor. May we not go back to the level we have outgrown. I reject poverty with everything in me in Jesus name.
Did You Know? The Hidden Dangers of MOLLY
Did you know? Molly, also called MDMA, is often sold as a party DRUG, but it is not as "harmless" as many think.
WRONG!
Let me break it down.
Molly makes you feel EUPHORIC and ENERGETIC because it floods your brain with serotonin, the “Happy Chemical.” Sounds fun, right?
But that is just the start.
👉Molly can also damage your Heart. Rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, and in extreme cases, Heart Attacks have been reported globally.
👉 Don’t forget the brain effects. Repeated use can cause ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, MEMORY loss, and difficulty SLEEPING even months after the last dose. So what is the enjoyment there? 🤔
👉Mixing Molly with alcohol or other drugs? Extremely dangerous. It increases the risk of LIVER and KIDNEY failure.
👉And here is the SCARY PART: what you think is Molly may be something else entirely. Many “Molly pills” are laced with meth, caffeine, or synthetic drugs.
👉Molly is not safe, even once. It is a chemical rollercoaster that can leave long-term damage.
👉 Stay Smart, stay Alive. If you party, hydrate, watch your friends, and avoid unknown substances.
👉Your BRAIN and BODY will thank you.
Baba Elepo the Rock of Gibraltar
When it was time for my father and his wife, Mama Tunji, to leave for home , I watched as Baba Elepo searched for his orthopedic walking stick. He found it beside his chair and, with visible effort, pulled himself upright. His eyes met mine, and he smiled, extending his arms. I understood immediately, he wanted me to pull him ,I grasped his hands, helping him to his feet. He didn’t let go. Instead, his fingers tightened around mine , a silent request for me to walk him to the car.
As we moved slowly, his weight leaning on my shoulder and his other hand gripping the walking stick, I couldn’t help but marvel at the moment. This was Baba Elepo, my father, the athlete, the footballer who his teammates called the Rock of Gibraltar , the man whose reputation on the field was simple: “If you miss the ball, don’t miss the leg.” . I still remember the afternoon I crossed a line (I’ve long forgotten what I did). After my punishment, he decided to finish the lesson with a few boxing jabs. When I instinctively blocked his blows, he paused, eyebrows raised, “ oh so on block mi ? Meaning “Oh, so you are blocking me?” he asked, surprised. I quickly dropped my guard and took the rest of my punishment.
This was the same man who taught me to change a car tire. When his car had a flat, he handed me the spanner and told me to remove the nuts. I strained with all my strength, but they wouldn’t budge. Without a word, he took the spanner and turned each nut effortlessly. After changing the tire, he asked me to tighten them. I did, confident I’d secured them well. He checked, then tightened them further, each one moving under his grip as if I’d barely touched them. This was the father who once carried my younger sister and me on his shoulders, as if we weighed nothing.
Now, here we were.
The walk to the car was slow. He paused occasionally, looking at me with that gentle smile. I wondered what memories filled his mind, but his joy was unmistakable. This moment was everything life is about, the passing of time, the shifting of roles, and the quiet grace of acceptance.
I thought of my own life. I still train and fight Judo almost every Saturday. I’ve won gold medals and a silver at an international event in the U.S. three years ago. As a third-dan black belt, my children, including my late son Adams fight Judo. I’ve fought them all and I’ve beaten them all. But lately, a question lingers . Did I really beat them, or did they let me win? After all, I still pay their school fees.😂🤣
The Yoruba say, “Makan makan loye nkan” gradually, it becomes your turn. My generation is feeling it now. Stairs that once seemed effortless now slow us down. Jogging has become jeje walking. My friend Olumide, who once drove at reckless speeds, now moves carefully, earning the title “Baba”from those around him. Knees buckle, reading glasses become necessary, and doctors warn us away from foods we once loved. Our parents, who once seemed invincible, have shown us their humanity. Now, it’s our turn to care for them. This is the beauty of life makan makan loye nkan.
On the road to success, there will always be someone ahead of you. Do not let that shake your focus. Do not let it enter your mind as doubt. Your task is simple—believe in yourself, grow each day, and compete only with the person you were yesterday.