FIFA ‘to require’ players needing treatment to spend one minute off the pitch | OneFootball

FIFA ‘to require’ players needing treatment to spend one minute off the pitch | OneFootball

In partnership with

Yahoo sports
Icon: OffsAIde

OffsAIde

·24 February 2026

FIFA ‘to require’ players needing treatment to spend one minute off the pitch

Article image:FIFA ‘to require’ players needing treatment to spend one minute off the pitch

FIFA are planning a rule change to tackle time-wasting, with players who receive medical treatment to spend one minute off the pitch.

The BBC reports the proposal will be voted on Saturday 28 at the International Football Association Board’s annual meeting, an independent body of which FIFA is a member.


OneFootball Videos


There is currently no global requirement for how long a treated player must remain off the pitch, and the plan is designed to reduce delays and discourage feigned injuries when teams are in front.

The Premier League has, since 2023/24, kept players off for 30 seconds after treatment, while last December’s Arab Cup trialled a two-minute sanction.

Flamengo face Lanús at the Maracanã next Thursday 26 in the Recopa Sudamericana, having lost the first leg 1-0. The Argentines are likely to run down the clock, so the rule, if already approved, could have favoured the Brazilians. Kick-off is 21:30 Brasília time.

View publisher imprint