FIFA has unveiled a series of rule changes designed to speed up matches and curb time-wasting across all levels of football.
The new regulations, set to take effect at the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June 11–July 19), address substitutions, restarts, injury treatment, and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocols.
Under the updated rules, players being substituted must exit the field within 10 seconds. Delays will require their replacements to wait one minute before entering play, a measure intended to discourage deliberate stalling.
Teams will also have just five seconds to take a throw-in or a goal kick. Failure to restart within this window will result in the ball being awarded to the opposition.
For injury stoppages, players receiving treatment on the pitch must leave and can only return one minute after play resumes.
VAR’s scope has been expanded, giving officials the authority to review second yellow cards and corner decisions, but only in cases of clear errors.
FIFA hopes these changes will make matches more dynamic, reduce downtime, and maintain the flow of play from kickoff to final whistle.
