Season 2022-23 | What's New?

30th July
First team
world cup

With the new season under way, and just hours to go until Swansea City kick-off the campaign at Rotherham, we take a look at what changes supporters can expect to see at games during the 2022-23 campaign.

The return of five substitutes

One of the major changes in the EFL will be the return of the use of five substitutes during league fixtures.

As was the case in the aftermath of the return of football following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, teams will now be able to bring on five substitutes from the seven named on the bench, as opposed to the previous limit of three.

However, teams will only have three opportunities to make substitutions during play, while there will be an additional opportunity at half-time.

Colour blind friendly kit awareness

New kits

Under another new regulation change, home clubs will now be permitted to wear their away or third kit where a clash may occur that would impede the vision of people who are colour blind.

The amendment also allows clubs to “mix and match” combinations of jerseys, shorts and socks between their various registered kits in order to avoid clashes.

World Cup break, and September international window dates

Joe Allen Wales

This season will see an unprecedented halt to Championship proceedings due to the winter World Cup being held in Qatar over November and December.

The campaign kicks off a week earlier than usual on the last weekend of July but finishes on the same weekend as last year (May 5-7).

But there will be a run of three weekends in November and December where there will be no Championship fixtures.

The season will halt after the round of fixtures taking place over the weekend of November 11-13, and will not resume until the weekend of December 9-11.

There is also a change to the timing of the September international break. It has usually taken place at the start of the month but, this season, it has moved to being from September 19 to September 27.

Television Highlights

For fans keen to see highlights of the Swans exploits in the league and also catch up on the rest of the EFL highlights, ITV4 will now screen the best of the action on Saturday evenings in a regular slot 9pm slot, with a repeat screening on ITV the following morning at 9.25am.

The highlights programme will also be available on the ITV Hub.

Highlights of Swansea City’s Carabao Cup games will also be shown by the broadcaster through the 2022-23 season for the next two seasons.

Hugh Woozencroft and Jules Breach will present ITV’s EFL coverage and they'll be joined by a panel of pundits to cast their eye over the action.

EFL Charity Partner

Charlton dressing room

As part of the EFL’s strategy to use the power of football to support those experiencing loneliness in England and Wales, they have announced a new link with The British Red Cross as its official charity partner.

As from the start of the 2022/23 season, the British Red Cross logo will appear in the numbers on the back of players’ jerseys, as well as in those printed on to replica kits.

This season’s kits will also incorporate the new ‘Together’ sleeve badge, which will be officially launched in August, setting out a clear vision for the EFL and its clubs to be reflective and representative of the communities in which they serve at all levels of the game.

Trevor Birch, EFL Chief Executive commented on the agreement: “Club allegiances and a love of the game offer a sense of belonging to millions in this country and we believe that partnering with the British Red Cross will help us bring more people together through the medium of football.”

Pitch Invasions and the use of pyrotechnics

Following a spate of incidents last season the Premier League and EFL have worked with clubs to introduce individual bans for pitch invaders under new measures to tackle behaviour.

From the start of the 2022-23 season, anyone identified carrying or using pyrotechnics or smoke bombs will now receive an automatic club ban. These bans could also be extended to accompanying parents or guardians of children who take part in these activities. 

To further support this action, the FA, Premier League and EFL are working with police forces, the UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU), and the Crown Prosecution Service to establish a new principle for cases relating to pyrotechnics and smoke bombs.