FIFA Approves the New Protocol to Prevent Match Delays and Time-wasting on Field
FIFA has officially approved the new regulations to prevent players from wasting time and causing match delays on substitution, injury, and throw-ins. These new rules will be fully facilitated in the upcoming World Cup 2026.
The new regulation include 4 principal additional rules:
Rule 1: Throw-ins and Goal-kicks
If the referee considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or is being deliberately delayed, a five-second visual countdown will be initiated. If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team; a delayed goal kick will result in a corner kick to the opposing team.
Rule 2: Time-limited substitutions
To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or, where no board is used, upon the referee’s signal. Should the player fail to leave within this time, they must still exit the field; however, the substitute will not be permitted to enter until the first stoppage after one minute of play (running clock) has elapsed.
Rule 3: Off-field treatment and assessment
Where a player receives on-field assessment for an injury, or their injury causes play to be stopped, the player will be required to leave the field of play and remain off for one minute once play (running clock) has restarted.
Rule 4: Video assistant referee (VAR) system protocol developments
With regard to the VAR system protocol, the AGM approved three adjustments. Where there is clear evidence, the VAR will now be permitted to check and 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; and
– 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.
Laws of the Game 2026/27
Additionally, the next edition of the Laws of the Game, effective from 1 July 2026 (with competitions starting before that date being able to implement the changes earlier), will feature the following amendments:
– Law 3 (The Players): The number of permitted substitutes in senior ‘A’ international friendly matches is increased to eight; both teams may agree to a further increase up to a maximum of eleven.
– Law 4 (The Player’s Equipment): Non-dangerous items will be permitted if safely and securely covered.
– Law 5 (The Referee): Referee body cameras (chest- or head-mounted) may be used as a competition option, with the competition providing the cameras and controlling the use of the footage.
– Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play): Clarification that the ball is dropped for the team that would have had or retained possession had play not been stopped.
– Law 10 (Determining the Outcome of a Match) and Law 14 (The Penalty Kick): Incorporation of the clarification contained in circular 31 (June 2025) regarding an accidental “double touch” by the penalty taker.
– Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct): Where the referee applies advantage for an offence for (denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity and a goal is scored), the offending player will not be cautioned, as the offence did not prevent a goal.
