Two warm-up areas for substitutes must be determined, one for each team, on the same side of the pitch as the corresponding team bench. The warm-up areas must be covered with natural or artificial turf, ideally the same as the field of play. The two warm-up areas must have the same surface and be the same size, each ideally measuring 4m x 20m or 3m x 25m to accommodate five substitutes and a fitness coach per team, all at the same time. If such spaces are not available on the same side of the pitch as the corresponding team bench, a solution must be foreseen behind the goals, behind the advertising boards (if installed).
At stadiums where the substitutes’ warm-up areas are adjacent to the field of play, a safety corridor is required immediately behind the touchline. In principle, it must be at least 1m wide and be marked out as follows:
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using a dashed line (50cm dashes spaced 1m apart) in a discreet shade of the same colour as the surface on which it is painted;
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from the edge of the technical area to the corner flag.
Artificial turf used for warm-up areas must be of a high quality, well maintained and securely fixed to the ground.