The International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced support for a series of new rules that seek to optimize the flow of matches and limit interruptions, as reported by the organization itself in an official statement. Among the most notable changes is the expansion of the video assistant referee (VAR) systemwho will now be able to intervene in plays related to second yellow cards and corner kicks, under the condition that the intervention does not affect the continuity of the game.
During the last annual meeting held in London this January 20, chaired by Noel Mooneychief executive of the Football Association of Wales, the IFAB explained that the VAR will have the ability to review red cards that result from a second yellow as long as there is clear evidence that the sanction was applied incorrectly.
The same will apply in cases where the wrong team is sanctioned for an infraction that results in a red or yellow card. Besides, corner decisions may be reviewed if they were granted in error, as long as the review occurs immediately. These modifications represent, according to the IFAB itself, “specific extensions” of the already existing VAR protocol.
Beyond this, the British newspaper The Guardian detailed that the IFAB remains firm that the VAR must limit its intervention to situations that alter the course of the match: goals, penalties, direct red cards and identity confusion. The organization does not support an indiscriminate expansion of the powers of video arbitration and considers that the new measures They are specific adjustments to improve sports justice without sacrificing the pace of the game.
The set of proposed changes includes continuing with the eight second limits so that the goalkeepers release the ball with their hands and impose ten seconds for players to leave the field when they are substituted. Footballers who receive medical attention will be obliged to remain off the field for a period yet to be defined. In addition, additional measures were “agreed upon to reduce rhythm interruptions,” with the focus on applying “the principle of countdown in throw-ins and goal kicks”. According to the IFAB, these measures arise from the “overall positive feedback” received after the implementation of rules that seek to avoid excessive retention of the ball by goalkeepers.
Within this framework, concrete measures to accelerate resumptions were discussed:
• Extended countdown: After successful tests with goalkeepers (8 second limit), it was proposed to apply a similar criterion to throw-ins and goal kicks. If the executor exceeds the allowed time, possession could change hands.
• Faster substitutions: The idea of a strict 10-second limit for the substituted player to leave the field was promoted.
• Regulated healthcare: following previous experiences in international tournaments, footballers treated on the field of play should remain out for a fixed period, yet to be defined, to discourage simulations and repeated cuts.
The objective is clear: more ball in play and fewer artificial interruptions. The goal is to ensure that the matches have more net playing time, the current one barely reaches 52 minutes.
The meeting, corresponding to the Annual Business Meeting (ABM), was technical and strategic in nature, and was chaired by Noel Mooney, CEO of the Football Association of Wales. The summit did not include formal votes, but defined the framework of the regulatory proposals that will be submitted to the Annual General Assembly (AGM) of the body, scheduled for February 28, 2026 in Wales. There, the changes that could be applied from the 2026/27 season and on the way to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will be approved—or discarded..
Unlike the AGM, the ABM functions as an instance of evaluation, consensus and strategic orientation. FIFA – which has 50% of the voting power – and the four founding British football associations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were represented at the table.
The shared diagnosis was clear: improve the dynamism of the game, reinforce technological justice and reduce downtime, without altering the essence or spirit of football.
In the area of offside, the IFAB decided continue with the tests of the so-called “Wenger Law”a proposal promoted by the former coach and current head of world football development of the FIFA, Arsene Wenger. However, there is still no general agreement to be able to move forward with its full implementation while the debate on the issue grows.
This rule states that a player would only be in an illegal position if his entire body completely overwhelms the last defender. Wenger argued, in statements collected by The Timeswhich “first we have to try the radical solution and see if we need to reverse it”, recognizing that the traditional criterion has been based on the most forward part of the attacker’s body.
The Canadian Premier League will become one of the first testing laboratories for the Wenger Law from April. According to The TimesUEFA and the four founding British federations of the IFAB – England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales – have shown reservations about a change considered too drastic. The main concern lies in the possible damage to defensive tasks and the impact on party dynamics.
The IFAB confirmed that the tests of the so-called “Daylight Offside” They will continue in the experimental phase, but thus ruled out their mandatory application in the short term.
However, FIFA is enthusiastic about the possibility of reviewing the offside regulation. The president of the organization, Gianni Infantinorecently expressed in Dubai that alternatives are being considered that could modify the current requirement for the attacker: “Perhaps in the future the attacker will have to be completely forward for it to be considered offside”.
The meeting also included technical reports on:
• Semi-automatic offside (word of), which will continue to be used with cutting-edge technology.
• El Football Video Support (fvs), a more accessible system that allows review requests in competitions with less infrastructure, designed as a complement and referee laboratory.
• Tests with body cameras for referees, aimed mainly at training, evaluation and transparency, without direct impact on game decisions.
Among other regulatory clarifications, it was ratified:
• Penalties and accidental double touch: If the kicker involuntarily impacts the ball with his supporting foot and scores the goal, the interpretation became clearer to avoid controversies such as those seen in recent competitions with the paradigmatic case of Julián Álvarez in the eye of the debate.
• Referee-player relationship: The guideline was reinforced that only the captain can address the referee in tense situations, as a measure of protection, order and control of the game.
The final decisions will be known on February 28when the IFAB officially votes What changes will be incorporated into the global regulations during the Annual General Assembly in Gales.
The full IFAB statement
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 a series of measures aimed at further improving the flow of matches and reducing disruptions to pace.
Following positive feedback globally on the change to prevent goalkeepers holding the ball for too long, additional measures were agreed to reduce interruptions in rhythm. These include the application of the countdown principle at throw-ins and goal kicks.
Following the recommendations of the IFAB Football and Technical Advisory Panels in October, the meeting proposed amendments to the Laws of the Game requiring players receiving on-field medical treatment or assessment to leave the field and remain off the field for a set period, the duration of which will be determined following the resumption of play. The meeting also agreed to set a ten-second limit for players to leave the field when substituted.
In relation to the video assistant referee (VAR) protocol, the ABM recommended that VAR intervention remain restricted to the four factual situations that change the game (goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity), but with three specific extensions that do not slow down the flow of the game.
Where there is compelling evidence, the ABM proposed allowing video referees to review red cards resulting from incorrect second yellows, as well as cases where the wrong team is penalized for an infringement resulting in a red or yellow card. The ABM also proposed that competitions be allowed to have video referees review cases of a clearly wrongly awarded corner kick, provided this can be done immediately and without delaying the restart.
The ABM agreed to continue offside testing 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 successfully implemented at FIFA tournaments and several national competitions.
Furthermore, the ABM was informed of trials with referees using body cameras at grassroots and higher levels, and expressed support for incorporating the use of body cameras as an option for competitions within the Laws of the Game.
The ABM also sets the agenda for the IFAB Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Saturday 28 February 2026 in Wales.
