The new rules that will revolutionize football arrive

BarcelonaThe next Football World Cup will introduce a package of regulatory measures with a clear objective: to increase real playing time and reduce interruptions that break the rhythm of matches. It is not the first time that a World Cup event has served as a testing ground for major changes: the Russia 2018 World Cup was already the presentation of VAR to the public. Now the tournament will once again act as the stage for the introduction of a new set of rules that could redefine football.

In recent years, FIFA's main concern has focused on the low effective playing time. The first measure was to instruct referees to significantly extend the added time once minute 90 was passed, a guideline that was visualized for the first time at the Qatar World Cup. That model made it possible to recover lost minutes, but it also generated matches that, in some cases, widely exceeded two hours in duration, a scenario that impoverishes the spectacle.

There have been more radical proposals on the table, such as establishing matches of 30 minutes of effective play with the stopwatch stopped every time the ball is not in play, as in indoor soccer. However, this option has little traction, because the International Board, the body that regulates the rules of football, is made up mostly of British federations, with a markedly conservative vision and a clear desire to preserve the original essence of the sport.

The rules that will prevent time from being wasted

Faced with this scenario, a middle ground has been sought: introducing specific measures that penalize time loss and increase effective time without altering the classic structure of the match. One of the most relevant innovations is the implementation of a five-second countdown when restarting play, specifically on throw-ins and goal kicks. If a player does not execute the throw-in within this timeframe, they will lose possession: in the case of a throw-in, it will be awarded to the opposing team; in the case of a goal kick, it will become a corner against them.

Along the same lines, the substitution procedure is also being regulated more rigorously. When the fourth official displays the electronic board, the substituted player will have 10 seconds to leave the field of play. If they do not do so within this time, the substitute will not be able to enter until after one minute and always after a new stoppage in play. Therefore, the waiting time can be increased indefinitely.

A third modification affects players receiving medical assistance on the pitch. From now on, they must remain off the field of play for a minimum of one minute before being able to rejoin. The objective is clear: to avoid constant interruptions for minor incidents.

The VAR is accumulating work

In parallel, the video assistant referee system will also expand its powers, reinforcing its role in key decision-making. The VAR will be able to intervene in cases of a red card resulting from an incorrect second caution. However, it will not be able to recommend a review for a second yellow card that the referee has not shown on the field.

Furthermore, a new possibility for intervention in game restart decisions is introduced. If the referee signals a goal kick or a corner, but the images clearly and immediately show that a mistake has been made, the VAR will be able to communicate it so that the decision can be corrected, provided that the intervention occurs quickly and without affecting the development of the game.

FIFA believes that the implementation of these measures will give football a facelift with the aim of being more agile and fair. Rules that promote fair play and aim to radically reduce time-wasting interruptions.