The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the rules of the sport, decided this Saturday (28) on changes to football.
After its annual meeting, the IFAB announced that six rules will be changed, coming into effect starting with the 2026 World Cup.
Check out below what’s changing, with highlights including increased power for VAR and “anti-time-wasting” practices.
1. Time rule also for goal kicks and throw-ins
The eight-second rule currently applies to ball restarts for goalkeepers, including a public countdown of the last five seconds by the referee.
This principle will also be extended to goal kicks and throw-ins. The start of the countdown is at the referee’s discretion.
If a goal kick is excessively delayed, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick, as is already the case in the current rule.
If there is time-wasting during a throw-in, the ball goes to the opponent.
2. Time limit for substitutions
Starting next season, substituted players will have only ten seconds to leave the field after the substitution is signaled.
If a player does not comply, the intended substitute may only enter the field at the next stoppage of play.
3. Treated players must stay off for one minute
Outfield players who are injured must continue to be treated off the field to keep game stoppages as short as possible.
The new rule is that, after leaving the field, the player must wait at least one minute before returning, regardless of the treatment time.
With this, IFAB aims to prevent treatments from being used deliberately to delay the game, while also ensuring players can be treated without time pressure.
4. VAR can correct second yellow card
The video referee will be able to intervene if the second caution, which leads to a sending off for a second yellow, is clearly and obviously wrong.
However, if a yellow-red card is not shown, the rule remains the same: VAR still cannot intervene in this case.
5. VAR can correct incorrect corner kick decisions
Clearly incorrect decisions regarding corner kicks can be corrected in the future, but only if the error is recognized immediately and can be corrected without major delays.
Therefore, VAR should not meticulously check every corner kick.
6. VAR can act in cases of 'mistaken identity'
Until now, VAR could already intervene if there was a case of mistaken identity in a personal punishment, but only within the same team.
Starting from the World Cup, VAR will also be able to intervene if a player from the wrong team is accidentally punished.
So, what do you all think of the changes?
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
