Goalkeepers to face a corner kick for holding the ball longer than eight seconds. 2025

 The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced a significant change to the laws of football regarding time-wasting by goalkeepers. Under the new rule, which will be introduced this summer, goalkeepers will be required to claim and redistribute the ball within eight seconds. If they fail to do so, they will be penalized with a corner kick instead of an indirect free-kick, as was the case under the previous law. Referees will provide a five-second countdown to warn goalkeepers of the impending penalty.

This rule change comes after extensive trials in over 400 matches, including in the Premier League 2 academy competition, where it became apparent that the six-second rule was not always being enforced effectively. Patrick Nelson, the CEO of the Irish FA, explained that holding onto the ball for too long has been a persistent issue and that the new rule was introduced in response to this problem. The trials yielded positive results, and officials are hopeful that the change will have a significant impact on speeding up the game.

Former Premier League referee and IFAB’s technical director, David Elleray, highlighted the example of Brighton’s victory at Manchester United, where the United goalkeeper averaged 4.8 seconds holding the ball, while Brighton’s keeper averaged 14.8 seconds. Elleray stressed that a strong deterrent, like this new penalty, could encourage goalkeepers to speed up play, which in turn would create a more dynamic and engaging game.

In addition to the time-wasting change, IFAB also confirmed that trials of a new approach to the offside rule will continue. Currently, a player is offside if any part of their body that can legally score a goal is ahead of a defender. However, under the new trial, the attacker would be considered onside if any part of their torso is aligned with the defender’s. This shift could lead to more balanced decisions, as the torso is easier to track with modern technology, potentially allowing for quicker and more accurate rulings.

Another important development is the approval of body cameras for referees, a system that has already been trialed at grassroots level in England. This technology will be tested at the upcoming Club World Cup, with the goal of reducing player abuse of officials and enhancing accountability during matches. These changes, though incremental, have the potential to transform the game and improve the overall experience for players, officials, and fans alike.