Refereeing and VAR changes Sunderland fans need to know before Premier League kick-off | OneFootball

Sunderland start their Premier League season at Ipswich Town on Saturday with new refereeing and VAR measures in force. Key tweaks to laws and interpretations will shape games.

Most changes were first seen at the World Cup earlier this summer. Players treated for injury must now leave for at least one minute, and a five-second count at goal kicks and throw ins will punish delays with a corner or an opposition throw.

Substitutions carry a 10-second limit for the departing player, and if breached the incoming player must wait at least one minute. A new trial targets goalkeepers feigning injury, with the head coach nominating a team-mate to sit out the next minute once play restarts, except for head injuries.

Refereeing principles include high thresholds for fouls and VAR intervention, and a clampdown on holding at set plays to curb their impact. Sanctions will follow for holding and for obstructing the goalkeeper without playing the ball, while hair-pulling brings a yellow card if not deemed 'excessive force'.

For the first time, VAR can step in if a player may have been wrongly shown a second yellow, but it still cannot recommend one. It will also not review whether a corner was incorrectly awarded. Transparency will rise, with select official-to-VAR audio to be shared and weekly Key Match Incident panel verdicts published.

Source: Sunderland Echo

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