The maximum number of named substitutes allowed in the 2026 World Cup final match rules is 15.
This figure refers to the players listed on the match sheet as substitutes, not to the number of substitutions a team may actually make. Each team names its starting XI separately, with up to 15 additional players available on the bench or match-day roster.
The distinction matters because the same rules allow a maximum of five substitutions during normal time, with a sixth substitution permitted if the match goes into extra time. A team therefore cannot replace all 15 named substitutes; most are reserve options for tactical changes, injuries, or late-match situations.
The 2026 final rules also specify 90 minutes of regulation play, 30 minutes of extra time if required, and a penalty shoot-out if the scores remain level. They separately limit substitution opportunities to three in normal time, with one additional opportunity in extra time. A concussion substitution is treated as a special additional mechanism.