International soccer officials have given the green light to major rule modifications designed to eliminate stalling tactics and accelerate match tempo, with these adjustments scheduled to debut during the 2026 World Cup and throughout all competitions worldwide.
The International Football Association Board reached these decisions during their 140th Annual General Meeting held Saturday in Hensol, Wales.
Among the most notable modifications is implementing countdown timers for throw-ins and goal kicks.
When officials determine that a throw-in or goal kick is being unnecessarily delayed or intentionally stalled, referees will display a five-second visual timer. Teams that fail to resume action before time runs out will lose possession, with throw-ins switching to the opposing team and delayed goal kicks resulting in corner kicks for opponents.
This expansion builds upon previous regulations introduced last year targeting goalkeepers who excessively hold onto the ball.
Substituted players will now have just 10 seconds to exit the field after officials display the substitution board or signal the change.
Teams that exceed this timeframe will see their incoming player forced to wait until the next play stoppage after one full minute of action, though the departing player must still exit immediately.
Any player requiring medical evaluation on the field or whose injury halts play must leave the pitch when action resumes and stay off for one minute. Officials designed this rule to prevent teams from using fake injuries to waste time.
The meeting also endorsed three modifications to video assistant referee procedures. VAR officials can now intervene in additional scenarios when clear evidence exists: incorrect second yellow cards leading to ejections, cases involving wrong player identification, and corner kicks mistakenly awarded.
Beginning July 1, updated Laws of the Game will permit non-hazardous items to be worn when properly covered, and allow referees to use chest or head-mounted cameras.
Additional clarifications addressed dropped ball situations, giving possession to whichever team would have maintained control if play hadn’t stopped, and accidental double contacts during penalty attempts.
The board also agreed to examine issues involving players leaving the field to protest referee decisions or team officials encouraging such behavior, plus players covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents.
