Substitutes row won´t void England´s Trinidad win

FIFA insist England's 3-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago will not be wiped out despite a row over the number of substitutes used by Fabio Capello.

FIFA rules state only a maximum of six changes can be made in international friendlies, but England sent on seven replacements in Port of Spain on Sunday as Capello gave debuts to Joe Hart, Phil Jagielka and Stephen Warnock.

Football's world governing body confirmed they did not give special dispensation for the change and said the decison to allow England an extra sub had been a mistake by referee Enrico Wijngaarde.

But they will not void the match and that means the three English debutants who came on, and Dean Ashton, who also made his first appearance, will be able to keep their caps.

“FIFA can confirm it did not give special dispensation to make up to seven substitutions at the Trinidad and Tobago v England friendly match played on Sunday, 1 June 2008,” a statement read.

“The referee of this match confirmed to FIFA that he received no instruction to allow for such a special dispensation, but that it had been a mistake by the referee.

“As FIFA has received no official protest regarding this match, it shall be considered as an official match.”

The English FA spokesman, speaking before FIFA's decision, said: “The opportunity to use seven substitutes was cleared in advance of the game by FIFA, Trinidad representative Jack Warner, the FIFA delegate for the game and the match referee.

“There is no way we would have gone ahead using seven subs without the approval we were given.”