FIFA have outlawed squad numbers above 18 for World Cup qualifiers. Players are only allowed to wear numbers 1 to 18 according to Article 16 No. 3 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Regulations.

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That's one of the dumbest things FIFA have ever done. There is no sense in restricting the squad numbers to 18. Why not restrict them to 23 like for the tournaments if at all? I could understand if FIFA don't like numbers above 40, but the lower numbers are used frequently and regularly.

dumb move, i always liked to see players in those numbers like podolski 20, donovan 21 (before he switched to 10)... stupid move

interesting. that explains why gooch has been wearing #5 during the qualifiers.

At least Ballack will finally win something without the 'lucky' #13

Unless i'm mistaken the number 13 is somewhere between 1 and 18?

gosh i hope so. otherwise, that means i've been misled my entire life.

"Racism? Diving? Crowd Violence? Fuck that, lets limit squad numbers."

Pathetic.

Yes, but the German FA has decided to only use numbers 1 to 11 for their starting players and ditch player names altogether.



They are citing problems attaching names and numbers just before kick-off...

so they're doing what england does....give the starters numbers 1-11.

i guess i can see why they want to do up to 18 since you can only have 7 subs on the bench right?

but it's still kinda lame if you ask me. you'd think that FIFA has bigger problems to worry about than problems with printing names and numbers.

Actually they have misinterpreted the rule: http://www.footballshirtculture.com/200808...er-numbers.html

as it is alot of countries wore names on the kits like the USA and England and Spain. then you get Mexico who doesnt or Argentina. the number thing says you should wear 1-18 but arent obliged too

Yeah but after they found out they still stuck to using 1 - 11 and no player names because the German kit manager apparently isn't capable of applying names and numbers just one hour before kick-off...

And maybe everyone should wear an L-sized jersey as well :-)
Because with players wearing different sizes he will still need to apply numbers before the match

I know it's stupid I don't get it, too.

fifa is just a bunch of rich business men who are too lazy to fix the real problems in football, so to make it look like theyre doing something they make up stupid regulations like these. ridiculous.....

Kind of like the IOC.

I completley agree, all of them are nothing but bunch of cowards, they are more concerned with keeping their cushy jobs then actually standing up for what is right and making some real changes.

I don't really see what the fuss is about. It's not like this is a huge thing FIFA is pushing, taking time and resources away from other tasks, its a basic rule that was probably come up with at the lunch table, and its not one I can really see a problem with.

So true. But typical of fifa, they have a bottomless too-hard basket. If it aint broke.... lets fuck with it so that we look busy.

I think its shit because it takes away from the charachter of the game and, as mentioned, a lot of guys have to change nos theyve had for a long time, I remember wondering why mark bresciano changed from 23 to 18.

ah i was wondering why bresciano changed to 18 too.

I love it. I like seeing 1-11 and 1-18 on a team like back in the old days. I am in favor of keeping the names though...

i hate seeing certain players wearing odd numbers like kallstrom in 9 and so forth, i dunno why i just dont like it

this idea is so stupid. they probably paid alot of people alot of money to figure this stupid thing out

Good to see FIFA have got their priorities straight. High shirt numbers have been the bane of football for centuries.

ya uhm ok im talking about players who wear like 21, nuno gomes is the 21, and then you have Van Der Vart who is 23 and all. so you thinkl thats fine, deco who always wore 20 for portugal, ya thats the bane all right