A series of new rules and competition-specific measures will be introduced at the World Cup, with several changes aimed at tackling timewasting and expanding the use of video assistant referees (VAR).
The measures follow years of focus on the issue from FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina.
At the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, officials were instructed to be precise when calculating stoppage time and add on all lost time. The opening matches all exceeded 100 minutes, with England’s 6-2 win over Iran featuring 24 minutes of added time across both halves.
For this World Cup, the approach is intended to ensure players get on with the game and save lost time in other ways. The idea is not strict enforcement, but deterrent measures designed to alter player behaviour.
Goal-Kicks and Throw-Ins
Countdowns of five seconds will be introduced for goal-kicks and throw-ins.
If a player deliberately delays the restart of play, a goal-kick could become a corner or a throw-in could be awarded to the opposition.
The count will not begin when the ball goes out of play. A referee will decide when to activate it if a player is taking too long.
As with the existing eight-second countdown after a goalkeeper has caught the ball, the referee will visibly count by moving an arm up and down.
The law change is intended to act as a deterrent to goalkeepers who take a long time over goal-kicks, particularly towards the end of matches.
Previously, referees could issue a yellow card, but a goalkeeper might continue delaying play knowing an official is unlikely to show a second yellow card and send them off.
It is hoped that conceding a corner, which could lead to conceding a goal, will be a more effective deterrent
Substitutions
Substituted players will have 10 seconds to leave the field at the nearest point.
If they fail to do so, the replacement player cannot enter the field for at least one minute and the team must continue with 10 players.
There are exemptions if a player is injured or if there are security concerns about where they leave the pitch, although the latter is not expected to be an issue at the World Cup.
Under the new law, the substitute will not be able to enter until play next stops. That means a team could, in theory, be left with 10 players for several minutes.
During the international friendly between Japan and Iceland on 31 May, an Iceland player took too long to leave the field and the team played with 10 men for more than two minutes. The first stoppage came when Koki Ogawa scored the only goal of the match for Japan.
The intention is not to force teams to play with 10 players, but to create such a strong deterrent that players do not waste time during substitutions.
VAR and Corner Decisions
VAR will be able to check whether a corner has been correctly awarded.
However, VAR will not do the same for goal-kicks that should have been corners.
FIFA says the review cannot cause a delay and must be completed before the corner is taken.
On average, there is a 25-second delay before a corner is taken and FIFA believes this should provide enough time.
FIFA says it is aided by having a larger VAR team than other competitions. It also has new ‘out of bounds’ technology that will indicate who touched the ball last, although it might be too slow to be used to correct a corner decision.
The measure is only a competition opt-in and is not expected to be adopted in the Premier League.
Second Yellow Card Red Cards
VAR will be able to review the second caution that results in a player being sent off.
There can be no review for a potential second booking when a player is already on a yellow card.
The review will apply only where there is a clear error in awarding the foul and not simply a subjective difference of opinion over the card itself.
Attacking Fouls Before the Ball Is in Play
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has given FIFA permission to allow VAR reviews of attacking fouls before the ball is in play if they directly lead to a goal, penalty or disciplinary sanction.
Collina cited an example involving England in March, when Adam Wharton blocked the run of Uruguay’s Jose Maria Gimenez before Ben White scored.
At the time, VAR could not disallow the goal, but it will be able to intervene at the World Cup.
In such cases, the restart would be a retaken corner. A free-kick cannot be awarded because the ball was not in play.
For that reason, VAR will not be able to review defensive fouls before the ball is in play because it is not possible to award a penalty.
The rule will be reassessed by IFAB after the tournament.
Mistaken Identity
VAR will be able to correct incidents of mistaken identity where a player is booked or sent off but the offence was actually committed by an opposition player.
Collina requested the addition.
FIFA was unhappy with two high-profile disciplinary incidents earlier this year and was eager to avoid a repeat at the World Cup.
The measure is also a competition opt-in.
Covering the Mouth During Confrontations
A player who covers their mouth during a confrontational situation can be sent off.
The measure refers to Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni being given a six-match ban by UEFA after he admitted using homophobic language towards Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr during a Champions League match in February.
“If the conversation is friendly, they can continue to do it without any problem,” Collina said.
“When the conversation is confrontational, covering the mouth means that you are doing something very wrong, potentially, and the sanction is the red card.”
Leaving the Field to Protest a Decision
Referees can also send off players who leave the field to protest a decision.
The measure follows controversy during the Africa Cup of Nations final on 18 January.
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in a match overshadowed when Senegal’s players refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty while the game was goalless.
Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the players returned. Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz missed the penalty before Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye scored the winning goal in the fourth minute of extra time.
In March, Morocco were declared the winners after the Confederation of African Football overturned the result.
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