The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have announced a new rule to take effect on 1 July 2026. They set the laws of football and also approve a package of measures to counter tactics aimed at disrupting the tempo of matches.
They have previously introduced the eight-second rule for goalkeepers; however, this has not necessarily been enforced in the women's games, with many taking over 20 seconds on each goalkick, so players are still slowing the games down.
There will be a five-second countdown during throw-ins and goal kicks. If the ball isn’t back in play after five seconds, the restart is handed to the opposition.
Subbed off players must leave the pitch within 10 seconds of the board being shown or the referee’s signal. If they take longer, the placement can’t enter until the next stoppage after one minute of play.
When play is stopped for an on-field injury assessment, the injured player must leave the pitch and remain off for at least a minute once play restarts.
There will be exemptions, including when the opposition player has been booked or sent off, if a substitution is being made, or if the player is to take a penalty.
The law will not apply to goalkeepers, and no solution was agreed upon for the 'tactical timeout' that has been seen as a scourge of the modern game.
Ifab technical panels have discussed the issue at length, but there is no common ground on an effective solution.
A proposal to take an outfield player off was proposed but rejected. It was felt that this could cause an injured goalkeeper to avoid seeking treatment for fear of hampering their team.
Ifab decided that trials should be conducted to assess the issue further and to propose deterrent options.
VAR can now check incorrect second yellow cards, red or yellow cards given to the wrong team, and incorrect corner decisions.
Senior international friendlies can now use up to eight substitutes, either five or 11, if both teams agree. This came after England were about to change Aggie Beever-Jones for Chloe Kelly against a ten-player Australia when Michelle Agyemang went down with an ACL injury, meaning Kelly came on for the young superstar, while Beever-Jones had to stay.
But, as Australia were down a player and it was a friend, Sarina Wiegman did not want to risk Chelsea forward Sarina Wiegman's health and took her off, with no one to replace her. This rule could likely come into effect due to situations like this, where an international friendly is no grounds to risk a player's health.
Also, international friendlies are a time for player representation, trialling new formations, and bringing young stars into the team, so the ability to rotate will help develop the players of tomorrow.
Potential measures regarding players leaving the pitch in protest and covering their mouths during confrontations will also be considered. This call for action is in response to the racism scandal involving Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, which has become a pivotal case study for football lawmakers, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA now considering banning players from covering their mouths during on-field confrontations.
This proposed "Vinícius Law" seeks to eliminate the "cowardly" tactic of hiding abusive language from referees and lip-readers by using shirts or hands to cover it. This complication hindered the UEFA investigation into whether Prestianni used a racial slur. While the initial focus has been on high-profile men's matches such as the Champions League, these measures are expected to be scrutinised and adopted even more rigorously in the women’s game as a proactive response.
Big goalkeeper time out, with many WSL keepers going down injured, so that the game can be stopped, and tactics changed. The WSL will now implement a measure in which teams will lose an outfield player for 1 minute if the GK receives on-pitch treatment. This comes after Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce went down to the ground against Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup, with no contact and no players around her.
Therefore, there is no reasonable explanation for her injury. The Referee did not initially see that Chelsea fans behind the USWNT goal booed her. She eventually got up and was fine.
Ifab will also stage trials to find ways to stop 'tactical timeouts' triggered by goalkeepers receiving on-field treatment. The Women's Super League has put itself forward to take part.
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