Separate the starting list from the match events
Imagine a fictional team sheet names eleven starters and several substitutes, including Player A. A warms up and appears on the broadcast bench shot but never enters the field. That evidence establishes selection among the substitutes, not participation as an on-field player.
Player B, also named on the bench, later replaces a starter through the proper substitution procedure. B’s status changes when the substitution is completed. The same original team-sheet category can therefore lead to different participation outcomes.
Entry is a procedural event
IFAB Law 3 states that a substitution is completed when the substitute enters the field through the required process. At that point the replaced player becomes a substituted player and the entering substitute becomes a player. Warming up or standing beside the fourth official is not itself completion.
A planned change can be delayed or abandoned before entry. A television graphic announcing an upcoming substitution may therefore need confirmation from the actual match event. Use the official record when a replay cuts away at the important moment.
Use the right claim for each source
A squad announcement covers a broader period than one match’s team sheet. A team sheet identifies selected starters and substitutes. A substitution log describes changes during the match. These sources should not be treated as interchangeable proof of minutes played.
Likewise, a statistic provider can apply its own appearance and minute-recording conventions. If a precise numerical claim matters, identify the provider and its completed match data rather than estimating from a late camera shot. A player entering near the end may have very limited footage while still having participated.
For a viewing note, record selected, started, entered and replaced separately where relevant. Include the official substitution time and competition. This makes it possible to find the right segment of a replay and avoids claiming that an unused substitute was absent from the squad or, in the opposite direction, that a bench listing guarantees an on-field appearance.
An unused substitute can still be present and available without having entered.
Related questions
Does warming up count as entering the match?
No. Confirm that the substitution was actually completed.
Sources and scope
Scope notes distinguish published documentation, supplied information and editorial methods. They do not report a hands-on service test.
- IFAB Law3 — Named substitutes, substitution procedure and completed entry
