Image Credits: Imago Images
Players who need treatment during a game could soon be forced to stay off the pitch for at least a minute under a new proposal from FIFA aimed at clamping down on time‑wasting and speeding up matches, according to a report by BBC Sport.
Under the plan, any outfield player who receives on‑pitch medical treatment would have to leave the field and remain on the sidelines for a minimum of 60 seconds before being allowed back on.
The idea will be discussed at this weekend’s annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab), the body that controls the Laws of the Game. It’s suggested that the laws will likely be passed.
There is currently no global rule dictating how long a treated player must stay off, with competitions such as the Premier League instead applying their own guidance, including a 30‑second off‑field rule introduced in 2023‑24.
Fifa previously experimented with a stricter two‑minute absence during the Arab Cup in December, but that trial met strong resistance amid fears it punished teams too harshly. Fifa referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina has argued that a fixed off‑field period helps cut out players going down to break up play and keeps the tempo higher, with the one‑minute compromise presented as a middle ground between deterrent and fairness.
Leagues and clubs, though, have voiced worries about unintended consequences, with concerns that sides could be left defending key moments with 10 men and become more likely to concede.
To address some of those fears, there would be specific exemptions built into the proposal. Goalkeepers would not have to leave the pitch after treatment, while players fouled by an opponent who is shown a yellow or red card, as well as designated penalty takers, would also be allowed to stay on.
According to BBC Sport, the one‑minute rule forms part of a wider package of anti time‑wasting measures due to be discussed, including countdown limits on goal kicks, throw‑ins and substitutions that could even see teams play temporarily a man down if a player dawdles leaving the field.
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