The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved a series of measures aimed at improving match tempo and reducing time-wasting in football.
The decisions were taken at the 140th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association held in Hensol, Wales, and chaired by Mike Jones, President of the Football Association of Wales. The meeting coincided with the Association’s 150th anniversary, providing an important platform for decisions focused on strengthening the future of the game.
The newly approved measures will take effect in upcoming competitions, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, and respond to calls from stakeholders across the global football community for practical steps to protect effective playing time.
Key Changes to Match Management
Among the major changes is the introduction of a five-second visual countdown for delayed throw-ins and goal kicks. If the ball is not put back into play within the countdown period, the restart will be awarded to the opposing team.
In addition, time-limited substitutions have been introduced to improve match flow. Substituted players must now leave the field within ten seconds after the substitution signal. Failure to do so will delay the entry of the replacement player until the next stoppage after one minute of play.
The AGM also approved new guidelines regarding off-field treatment, requiring players who receive on-field injury assessment to leave the pitch and remain off for one minute once play resumes.
VAR Protocol Adjustments
Three adjustments were approved to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol. VAR will now be allowed to assist referees in cases involving a clearly incorrect second yellow card leading to a red card, mistaken identity when a player is wrongly penalised, and a clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick, provided the review can be completed quickly without delaying play.
Amendments to the Laws of the Game
The meeting also confirmed a number of changes to be included in the 2026/27 edition of the Laws of the Game, effective from 1 July 2026.
These include increasing the number of substitutes permitted in senior ‘A’ international friendly matches to eight, with both teams able to agree to extend this to a maximum of eleven substitutes.
Other amendments include the approval of referee body cameras as a competition option, clarification of procedures for dropped balls, updates regarding accidental double touches in penalty kicks, and a revision to disciplinary action when advantage leads to a goal despite an offence that would have denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.
Ongoing Trials and Future Discussions
IFAB members also agreed to continue offside trials and received updates on semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) and the ongoing FIFA-led Football Video Support (FVS) trial.
Further consultations will also be held to address issues such as teams leaving the field in protest of refereeing decisions and players covering their mouths while confronting opponents during matches.
The meeting brought together representatives from FIFA, The Football Association, The Scottish FA, The FA of Wales, the Irish FA and the IFAB administration, marking an important step toward ensuring the game remains fast, fair and dynamic.
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