Andy Davies, Special to ESPN
Mar 5, 2026, 03:30 AM ET
The International Football Association Board, which sets the laws of football, has agreed to make some big changes starting July 1, but those changes will also be adopted at this summer's 2026 World Cup, which kicks off June 11.
Using the VAR to check corners will be an option, while the core VAR protocol has now been widened to cover second yellow cards and cards awarded to the wrong team. And the IFAB also approved a package of measures to counter tactics designed to disrupt the tempo of matches -- though the physical issues we've seen this season from corners was not deemed to be serious enough to address.
But will these new rules help or hinder the game? We take a look.
Andy Davies (@andydaviesref) is a former Select Group referee, with over 12 seasons on the elite list, working across the Premier League and Championship. With extensive experience at the elite level, he has operated within the VAR space in the Premier League and offers a unique insight into the processes, rationale and protocols that are delivered on a Premier League matchday.
A five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks
Rule: If the referee considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or 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, while a delayed goal kick will result in a corner kick being awarded to the opponents.
Verdict: Good
Last year's introduction of an eight-second rule for goalkeepers holding on to the ball has had a positive impact on the game and put the responsibility back on the players. So this is a positive progression that will apply across the pitch.
In recent seasons, the time allowed for goalkeepers to set up for a restart from a goal kick has certainly attracted negative attention from both fans and clubs. Data has shown that the time of a full goal kick -- from the goalkeeper collecting the ball, putting it down, the releasing it -- can be up to a minute long. And that is too long.
As a referee, the only real impactful tool you have to manage these situations is to give out a yellow card, following a process of warnings, for time wasting. But that is an option that officials are reluctant to commit to early in a game, certainly for a technical offense.
However, this new measure will empower referees to regain control and put the responsibility back on to the players to speed things up. The threat of the opposition gaining possession from a reversed throw-in or a corner is a game changer in the fight against deliberate delaying tactics.
Ten-second time limit for substituted players to leave the pitch
Rule: To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed or, where there is no substitution board, of the referee's signal. Should the player fail to leave within this time, they must still exit the field, but the substitute will not be permitted to enter until the first stoppage after one minute (running clock) has elapsed following the restart.
Verdict: Good
Another positive change that will alleviate the pressure that often surrounds a referee when a player is taking a long time to leave the pitch once substituted. Players should be cautioned for taking too long to vacate the field of play, however this very rarely occurs. However, now there are very clear guidelines over how long they can take, and it will be down to the players to adhere.
Operationally, I don't expect the 10-second time limit to be applied strictly. Provided a player is moving towards the nearest side of the pitch once the board is shown, you won't see a referee standing with their watch in the air, counting down. But if a player is wandering around the pitch, pausing to adjust their shinpads, high fiving their teammates and clapping all four stands as they leave, then the referee will have the tools to stop these types of antics that cause frustration for all.
Considerations around multiple substitutes will provide the team of officials with another challenge. But, again, I would expect to see a sensible approach from the officials in these situations. Providing players and clubs are not clearly trying to extend an exit from the pitch, we won't see many players penalized by having to wait for an additional minute.
An injured player has to be off the field for a minute
Rule: 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 it for one minute (running clock) once play has restarted.
Verdict: Bad
An increase from the current 30 seconds adopted in the Premier League to a minute is a surprising and unnecessary change. Sixty seconds is a long time in football, and games can be won and lost within this minute.
The increase will also, in my opinion, be counterproductive in the drive to reduce players being treated for an apparent injury, when in truth they are just trying to kill time. The 30-second rule has been a huge success in the Premier League, with over 70% fewer stoppages where a physio has been called on to treat a player over the two seasons it has been implemented.
The new increase, however, has created concern among clubs and is a red flag for referees, especially as there is a loophole around goalkeepers. When a goalkeeper goes down, they will still be exempt from this rule, so teams wanting to waste time will utilize the ability of their goalkeepers to go to ground at the earliest opportunity, negating as much of the 60 seconds as they can ... and referees will be powerless.
But an injured player doesn't have to leave the field if their opponent receives a card
Rule: Players who are injured and treated on the pitch after a foul challenge that resulted in the offender receiving a yellow or red card will not be asked to leave the pitch.
Verdict: Good
This is a change that I and other referees have advocated for a long time. Currently, players must leave the pitch for 30 seconds regardless, which has always felt unfair if the tackle was worthy of a sanction.
Now there is a level of common sense at least.
More power for VAR
Rule: Where there is clear evidence, the VAR will now be permitted to assist the referee in relation to:
- Red cards arising from a clearly incorrect second yellow card;
- Mistaken identity, when the referee penalizes the wrong team for an offense that results in a red or yellow card being shown to the wrong player.
Verdict: Good
This is long overdue in the world of VAR and a sensible development given the consequences of sending a player off. Giving the VAR the opportunity to correct an incorrectly awarded second yellow card and keep a player on the pitch is a no-brainer.
But it is important to note the detail: The VAR is only able to intervene when a second yellow card has clearly been issued incorrectly by the referee, and will not recommend a second yellow should be issued in a subjective situation.
Naturally, that second part of this new law makes sense. When a referee has penalized the wrong team for an offense and the VAR has clear video evidence to show the referee, an on-field review will be recommended.
These situations are rare, but they can be game changing when they do occur. In Nottingham Forest's 3-2 loss to Bournemouth on Dec. 23, 2023, referee Rob Jones gave a second yellow card to Forest defender Willy Boly for a late, reckless challenge early in the first half with the match at 0-0. However, replays clearly showed that the tackle was perfectly timed; he won the ball, made little or no contact with his opponent, and did not meet the threshold for a foul, let alone a yellow card.
More recently in Italy's Serie A, Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu was sent off for a second yellow card when the referee felt he had pulled back Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni. However, video evidence showed that no foul had been committed.
The VAR is currently unable to intervene in these situations, so this is a positive step and will be well received by clubs and supporters alike.
Even more power for VAR
Rule: Where there is clear evidence, the VAR will now be permitted to assist the referee in relation to:
- A clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick, provided that the review can be completed immediately and without delaying the restart.
Verdict: Bad
The fan in me considers this as an intrusion into the game. The process of checking anything through the VAR, as we know, adds a natural time delay, and this feels like overuse of technology. While there have been one or two high-profile situations that have made a significant difference -- with Nottingham Forest on the end of two contentious decisions this season -- this has generally not proved to be a big concern in the Premier League.
However, from a refereeing perspective, if myself or my team have made a clear error in awarding a corner kick that potentially results in a match-winning or season-defining goal, I would want the opportunity for that decision to be changed, because the stakes are high.
The IFAB has given the individual football authorities and leagues the opportunity to opt out of this change, and I expect the Premier League and FA to do just that at this stage. However, it may only take one defining moment for the thinking around it to change.
With this change being introduced at the World Cup this year, it will be interesting to see how it lands on the world's greatest stage.
