Official: IFAB announces major changes to football rules

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·28 February 2026

Official: IFAB announces major changes to football rules

The International Board (IFAB), responsible for football rules, has decided to implement several changes with the aim of making matches more dynamic, eliminating certain injustices, and removing some frustrations. This will be implemented starting from the 2026 World Cup and for the upcoming seasons.

Throw-ins and Goal Kicks.

Following last year's widely praised modification of the Laws of the Game aimed at preventing goalkeepers from holding the ball too long, the members of the Annual General Assembly have confirmed the extension of the countdown principle to throw-ins and goal kicks.

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If the referee believes that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or is deliberately delayed, a visual five-second countdown will be initiated. If the ball is not in play by 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 being awarded to the opposing team.

Time-Limited Substitutions

To optimize the flow of the match, substituted players must leave the field within ten seconds of the substitution board being displayed or, in the absence of a board, the referee's signal. If a player does not leave the field within this time, they must still do so, but their substitute will only be allowed to enter at the first stoppage of play following the first minute of play (continuous clock) after the restart.

Off-field Treatment and Assessment

When a player is examined on the field for an injury, or if their injury causes the game to stop, they must leave the field and remain off for one minute (continuous clock) after the game resumes.

Developments in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Protocol

Regarding the VAR protocol, participants at the annual general assembly approved three modifications. In cases of clear evidence, the VAR will now be allowed to assist the referee on the following points:

Red cards following a second yellow card that is clearly unjustified;
misidentification errors, where the referee sanctions the wrong team for a foul resulting in a red or yellow card being issued to the wrong player; and
a corner clearly awarded in error, provided the check can be performed immediately and without delaying the restart of the game (competition option).

The IFAB also agreed to conduct trials to more accurately assess tactical delays related to goalkeeper injuries and propose solutions to deter such behaviors.

Laws of the Game 2026/27

Additionally, the next edition of the Laws of the Game, applicable from July 1, 2026 (competitions starting before this date may apply the changes earlier), will include the following amendments:

Law 3 (The Players): The number of substitutes allowed in senior A team international friendlies will be 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 allowed if they are properly and securely covered.

Law 5 (The Referee): Referees will be able to use body cameras (attached to the chest or head) optionally, with the competition organizer providing the cameras and managing the use of recordings.

Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play): Clarification: the ball is dropped for the team that would have retained or gained possession if the game had not been stopped.

Law 10 (Determining the Outcome of a Match) and Law 14 (The Penalty Kick): Integration of the clarification contained in circular 31 (June 2025) regarding the accidental double contact by the penalty taker. Law 12 (Fouls and Misconduct): When the referee plays advantage for an offense that would have been considered as preventing an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, the offending player will not be cautioned if a goal is scored, as the offense did not prevent a goal.

The IFAB also agreed that consultations would be conducted to develop measures for the following situations:

players unilaterally decide to leave the field, or team officials incite such action, in protest against a referee's decision; and
players cover their mouths when confronting their opponents during matches.

Participants at the annual general assembly agreed to continue offside trials and received updates on the development of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and the ongoing trial, conducted by FIFA, of the Football Video Support (FVS) system.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.