Tottenham Hotspur became the first English team to benefit from a new Premier League rule after Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was penalised for wasting time in Saturday’s season opener.
The 2025-26 campaign has introduced several major changes aimed at speeding up the game and enhancing fan experience, with officials cracking down on delays.
In the clash against Burnley, Dubravka was punished for holding the ball for more than eight seconds.
According to the new Premier League regulations, if a goalkeeper fails to release the ball within this timeframe, the referee will award a corner to the opposing team.
Tottenham enjoyed a perfect start under their new manager Thomas Frank, cruising to a 3-0 victory over the newly promoted side.
Richarlison scored twice, while Brennan Johnson added a third. Richarlison was particularly impressive, netting a spectacular overhead kick in the 60th minute to extend Spurs’ lead.
Richarlison was in red-hot form and scored a blinder of a goal to extend his team’s lead at the hour mark, as the Brazilian converted a brilliant overhead kick.
The Premier League’s new rules were approved by IFAB earlier in 2025 and first implemented at the Club World Cup.
Alongside stricter time-wasting regulations for goalkeepers, adjustments have also been made to penalties and interference laws.
Reflecting on the tournament, FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina, commented, “The initiative was a success; the pace of the games noticeably improved. There were no instances of goalkeepers holding onto the ball for extended periods, something that had frequently disrupted matches in the past.
“The aim was never simply to award corner kicks, but to ensure the eight-second rule was enforced. In that respect, the objective was fully accomplished.”
Commenting ahead of the new Premier League season, PGMOL chief Howard Webb said, “It’s a fairly bold adjustment, but the main goal is to speed up the game by getting the ball back into play more quickly.”
Frank’s side will return to Premier League action on August 23 when they travel to Manchester to take on Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.