MBABANE – Imagine losing possession simply because you took a breath too long before a throw-in.
It sounds like a nightmare, but come July 1, it becomes a reality. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved a package of measures aimed at increasing the pace of matches and cracking down on time-wasting.
The changes are set to come into effect at the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup and across all other competitions. The amendments were agreed upon at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Saturday.
The extension of the countdown principle to throw-ins and goal kicks is one of the most significant new rules approved. If the official considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or is being deliberately delayed, referees can now initiate a five-second visual countdown.
“Failure to restart play before the countdown expires will see possession handed to the opposition: Throw-ins will be awarded the other way, and delayed goal kicks will be punished with a corner,” FIFA states.
The move extends last year’s rule designed to discourage goalkeepers from holding onto the ball excessively, where an eight-second rule was previously passed.
Meanwhile, substituted players will now have 10 seconds to leave the pitch once the board is shown or the referee signals the change.
“If they fail to do so, the replacement player will be forced to wait until the next stoppage after one minute of play has elapsed, although the substituted player must still leave immediately,” the international football governing body added.
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