The International Football Association Board has unveiled a series of new measures aimed at increasing match tempo and clamping down on time-wasting in football.
The decisions were ratified at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting held in Hensol, Wales.
The session was chaired by the President of the Football Association of Wales, Mike Jones, as the association celebrates its 150th anniversary, a symbolic setting for reforms designed to modernise the game.
The approved changes will take effect at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and across all other competitions.
According to IFAB, the updates reflect calls from stakeholders worldwide, including its advisory panels, for practical solutions to safeguard effective playing time.
Throw-ins and goal kicks under countdown rule
Following last season’s amendment preventing goalkeepers from holding onto the ball excessively, IFAB has now extended the countdown concept to throw-ins and goal kicks.
Under the new rule, if a referee believes a restart is being intentionally delayed, a visible five-second countdown will begin.
Should the ball fail to re-enter play once the countdown expires, possession will switch, with throw-ins awarded to the opposition and delayed goal kicks resulting in a corner for the opposing team.
Faster substitutions
To minimise stoppages, substituted players must leave the pitch within 10 seconds after the substitution board is shown or, in cases where no board is used, once the referee signals.
If the player does not exit within that timeframe, they must still leave the field, but the incoming substitute will have to wait until the next stoppage after one minute of active play has passed.
Injury treatment protocol adjusted
IFAB also approved changes concerning injury assessments. Any player treated on the field or whose injury leads to a stoppage must leave the pitch and remain off for at least one minute after play resumes, with the clock running.
VAR protocol expanded
Adjustments were also made to the Video Assistant Referee protocol.
Where there is clear evidence, the VAR will now be allowed to review:
– Red cards arising from a clearly incorrect second yellow card;
– Mistaken identity, when the referee penalises the wrong team for an offence resulting in a red or yellow card being shown to the wrong player;
– Competitions may allow VARs to review a clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick, provided that the review can be completed immediately and without delaying the restart.
Additionally, IFAB agreed to conduct trials aimed at addressing tactical injury delays by goalkeepers, with further deterrent measures to be explored.
The reforms represent another step in football’s ongoing effort to preserve the flow of the game and protect meaningful playing time.
