The International Football Association Board (IFAB) on Saturday approved a series of rule changes designed to reduce time-wasting and accelerate the pace of play, with the new regulations set to be implemented at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and across all levels of competition.
Among the most significant alterations is the introduction of a visual countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks. Referees will now initiate a five-second countdown when they deem a restart is being unduly delayed. Failure to put the ball back into play before the countdown expires will result in possession being awarded to the opposing team – a throw-in for delayed throw-ins, and a corner kick for delayed goal kicks, according to statements released by IFAB and reported by USA Today.
The changes build upon a rule introduced last year aimed at preventing goalkeepers from excessively delaying play while in possession of the ball. The new measures extend that principle to other restarts, addressing a common tactic employed by teams seeking to run down the clock.
IFAB also addressed the issue of substitutions, mandating that players leaving the field must do so within ten seconds of the referee signaling the change. If a player fails to comply, their replacement will be forced to wait until the next stoppage in play, but not before one minute of playing time has elapsed. This is intended to prevent players from deliberately delaying their exit to waste time.
Further measures target tactical delays related to injuries. Players receiving on-field injury assessments, or whose injuries cause play to be stopped, will now be required to depart the pitch once play resumes and remain off the field for a minimum of one minute. This aims to discourage teams from feigning or exaggerating injuries to disrupt the flow of the game.
The 140th Annual General Meeting of IFAB, held in Hensol, Wales, also approved changes to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol. VAR will now be able to intervene in cases of clearly incorrect second yellow cards, mistaken identity in disciplinary sanctions, and wrongly awarded corner kicks, provided the review does not cause significant delays to the restart of play, as reported by The Hindu.
Mark Bullingham, the English FA CEO and an IFAB member, indicated that the board is also considering measures to address players covering their mouths when confronting opponents, following recent allegations of racism during a Champions League match. “You can see when a player is talking to an opponent, there are exceptionally few circumstances where they should need when they’re confronting them to cover their mouth,” Bullingham said, as quoted by ESPN. He added that a process is underway to determine whether a rule change or penalty is appropriate, while acknowledging the need to avoid unintended consequences.
The changes are part of a broader effort to increase effective playing time and respond to calls for more dynamic matches with fewer interruptions. IFAB stated that the amendments are designed to protect the spectacle of the game without fundamentally altering its core principles.
