The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has unveiled a series of major updates to the Laws of the Game, with the new rules set to take effect from the 2025/26 football season.
The revised regulations, announced in collaboration with FIFA, are aimed at improving clarity, discipline, and spectator engagement. They will be trialled at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off in the United States this month.
Among the headline changes is a stricter time limit for goalkeepers in possession of the ball.
Shot-stoppers will now have just eight seconds to release it, with any delay resulting in a corner kick for the opposing team — a shift from the previous punishment of an indirect free kick.
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Other significant changes include:
Ball Drop Situations: When play is stopped outside the penalty area, possession will return to the team that had clear control. If unclear, the team that last touched the ball will resume play.
Contact Outside the Field of Play: Accidental interference from substitutes, coaches, or dismissed players will lead to an indirect free kick, without further disciplinary consequences.
VAR Communication Flexibility: Organisers may now allow referees to explain VAR decisions to the crowd — or keep them private — based on competition-specific guidelines.
Assistant Referee Positioning: Officials will now align along the penalty spot line, rather than the goal line, to enhance decision-making in coordination with VAR.
FIFA also confirmed that body-worn cameras will be trialled by referees at the Club World Cup, offering fans a real-time view of officiating decisions.
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In a further bid to improve discipline, only team captains will be permitted to approach referees in certain situations — a move designed to reduce dissent and crowding around match officials.
The tournament opener between Al Ahly and Inter Miami will mark the first official match under the revised laws.
