England are set to be able to name a 26-man squad at this summer’s European Championship, in a boost to fringe players such as Jarrod Bowen, Ivan Toney and Kalvin Phillips, and injury doubts Luke Shaw and Reece James.

Delegates at UEFA’s national competitions committee voted to increase squad sizes at international tournaments from 23 to 26 in a move which is expected to be ratified by their executive committee this week.

The upshot is fewer selection dilemmas for Gareth Southgate and hope for players on the fringes.

Enlarged squads were used in the last Euros in 2021 to help nations cope with the aftermath of the pandemic and during the mid-season World Cup in Qatar. The leeway allowed England boss Southgate to take calculated risks with the fitness of Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson at Euro 2020, and Kyle Walker and Phillips for the World Cup.

England were missing several players through injury for last month’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, with Southgate initially naming a 25-man squad before promoting Manchester United’s Kobee Mainoo from the Under-21s.

Toney is among the players who could benefit, with the Brentford forward in competition with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins to be understudy to captain Harry Kane, while full-backs Shaw and James, both currently injured, have more chance of being picked. Out-of-form regulars Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish, who are facing pressure for their places from Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon, could also benefit.

Southgate is expected to name a preliminary Euros squad on May 21.