Egypt was permitted to make six substitutions during their match against New Zealand, exceeding the standard allowance of five. This was enabled by a specific medical protocol related to suspected concussions. The rule allows teams to replace players showing signs of head injury without penalty, even if all regular substitutions have been used. While the exact details of the suspected concussions weren’t immediately disclosed, the Egyptian team utilized the provision multiple times throughout the game. This sparked discussion regarding the application and potential for strategic exploitation of the concussion protocol. The incident highlights the complexities of balancing player safety with competitive fairness in international sports. The governing body is likely to review the situation to clarify the protocol’s implementation.