Why goalkeeper injury stoppages anger fans, and what is being done | OneFootball

Goalkeeper injury stoppages are increasingly used as tactical pauses, angering opponents and crowds. Lawmakers are searching for answers.

According to NY Times, Sunday's FA Cup semi-final saw Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sit down for treatment 15 minutes into the second half, with his side 1-0 up and Leeds poised over a free kick just outside the box. Boos followed and Daniel Farke and Ethan Ampadu were furious, though no law was broken.

When any outfielder is treated, they must leave for 30 seconds. Goalkeepers are exempt, so teams keep 11 on and use the pause for touchline instructions. Farke has previously called it bending the rules and declined to elaborate after Sunday.

Refereeing expert Graham Scott says officials are not doctors, cannot judge injuries, and that the game must solve it.

In 2025 an eight-second holding rule for goalkeepers arrived, with corners awarded for breaches. From this summer's World Cup, most treated players must stay off for one minute, excluding goalkeepers and those fouled for a card, and deliberate delays at throw-ins and goal kicks will face a five-second countdown, with throw-ins reversed and goal kicks becoming corners.

No settled fix exists for goalkeeper-led stoppages. IFAB will trial deterrents, including forcing an outfielder to leave play after a keeper is treated, a policy the WSL may test in 2026-27. The NWSL will bar players approaching technical areas during such stoppages from 2026, and another idea is to legalise one 60-second timeout with the clock paused or time added.

Source: NY Times