Proposed changes to the Laws of the Game for delays related to injury to be made following a successful trial at the FIFA Arab Cup™
Strict time limits for players leaving the field proposed
Positive feedback on new provisions to prevent goalkeepers from holding the ball for too long
At its Annual Business Meeting (ABM), held in London and chaired by Noel Mooney, Chief Executive of the Football Association of Wales, The IFAB focused on various measures aimed at continuing to improve match flow and reduce tempo disruption.
Following positive global feedback on the change to prevent goalkeepers holding the ball for too long, other measures to reduce tempo disruptions were agreed. This includes the countdown principle being applied to throw-ins and goal kicks.
Following recommendations made by The IFAB’s Football and Technical Advisory Panels in October, the meeting proposed amendments to the Laws of the Game requiring players who receive on-field injury treatment or assessment to leave the field and remain off it for a fixed period (to be determined) after play restarts.
The meeting also agreed to enforce a ten-second time limit for players leaving the field when being substituted.
In relation to the video assistant referee (VAR) protocol, the ABM recommended that VAR intervention should remain restricted to the four match-changing factual situations (goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity), but with three specific extensions that would not slow down the flow of play.
The ABM proposed that, where there is clear factual evidence, video match officials should be permitted to review red cards resulting from factually incorrect second yellow cards, as well as cases in which the wrong team is penalised for an offence resulting in a red or yellow card. The ABM also proposed allowing competitions the option for video match officials to review instances of a clearly wrongly awarded corner kick, provided this can be done immediately and without delaying the restart.
The ABM agreed to continue with offside trials, and further updates were provided on developments in semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and on the ongoing FIFA-led trial of Football Video Support (FVS), both of which have been successfully implemented at FIFA tournaments and in a number of national competitions.
In addition, the ABM was informed about trials involving referees wearing body cameras at grassroots and senior levels, and expressed support for incorporating the use of body cameras as an option for competitions in the Laws of the Game.
The ABM determines the agenda for The IFAB’s Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 28 February 2026 in Wales.