FOOTBALL lawmakers are considering a huge rule change which could have a major impact on time-wasting goalkeepers.
As things stand, under the current iteration of the laws, goalkeepers are permitted to hold the ball in their hands for six seconds.
Major changes could come in regarding how long goalkeepers can hold the ball for – and the punishment for breaching it[/caption]
Referees may have to count down the final five seconds on their hand[/caption]
In reality, though, the rule is very rarely – if ever – enforced.
In many matches, goalkeepers will often be seen holding the ball for 20 seconds of even longer – especially to wind down the clock towards the end.
It is though there are two reasons why the six-second rule is hardly pulled up on.
Firstly, after six seconds, goalkeepers are often still surrounded by opposition players – especially at set pieces.
And secondly, the punishment of an indirect free-kick in the penalty area seemed disproportionate to the crime.
Now, though, PA report that plans are “progressing positively” towards a shake-up of the legislation.
In the new version of the rule, the length of time a goalkeeper can hold the ball in his hands would increase from six seconds to eight seconds.
There would also be the introduction of a five-second countdown on the referee’s hand to signal publicly how long the goalkeeper has left to release the ball.
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And the final edit would be surrounding the sanctions.
The indirect free-kick inside the area would be scrapped.
Instead, the possibility of a throw-in or a corner to the opposition team is being discussed.
A trial is taking place this season in the Premier League 2 with the eight-second rule and corners awarded, with another trial in Malta.
And the feedback to Ifab – the International Football Association Board, who oversee the laws of football – is said to be positive.
A change to the rules is unlikely to come into effect for the 2025-26 season.
So it is expected there will be another season of trials with the suggestion it could come in for 2026-27.
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Ifab will meet in Belfast on Saturday for their annual general meeting – with video support systems and updates to the offside rule also on the agenda.
Video support enables coaches to challenge referee decisions – similar to tennis or cricket – and the referee can then watch the video back of their decision and uphold the original or overrule their call.
The format, designed for competitions that do not have the capabilities for VAR, has been tested in Fifa’s Women’s Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups.
The offside rule update could give greater advantage to attacking players.
An attacker would be onside if at least some part of their body is level with the second-last defender – known as the ‘daylight’ rule – even if the rest of their body is ahead.
Arsene Wenger – Fifa’s chief of global football development – has advocated the ‘daylight’ rule, which has been trialled in U18s football in Italy.
Another update to the offside law could also come into force with the ‘daylight’ rule[/caption]
