Newcastle United and Premier League clubs are set to be impacted by several rule changes for the 2026/27 season.
Several changes to VAR and the rules of football will be introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for the 2026/27 season.
Starting at this summer’s 2026 World Cup in North America, measures to address the loss of tempo and time wasting in matches, as well as second yellow cards. VAR will also be reviewing the awarding of corners at the World Cup, though this change may not extend to the Premier League next season.
Newcastle United and other Premier League clubs will face several significant rule changes approved by IFAB for the 2026/27 campaign. The changes were approved by IFAB at its general meeting at Hensol Castle in Wales on Saturday, February 28.
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IFAB announce rule changes set to impact NUFC and Premier League clubs
While VAR is often guilty of wasting time and causing delays in matches, IFAB are introducing ‘countdown’ rules with strict time limits in order maintain match tempo.
Currently, goalkeepers have an eight-second time limit imposed on them when it comes to releasing the ball from their hands. Failure to comply with this time limit results in a corner for the opposing team.
The new rules state if a player exceeds the time limit when taking a goal kick or a throw-in, then the opposing side will be awarded a corner or throw-in, respectively.
Time-wasting via substitutions has also been addressed, with substituted players now required to leave the pitch within 10 seconds of the fourth official’s board being raised. Failure to do so means their replacement must wait at least 60 seconds or until the ball next goes out of play before being introduced, resulting in teams playing with one fewer player for a short period as punishment.
Players who leave the field to receive treatment for an injury must now remain off the field for a whole minute, as opposed to 30 seconds. But there are some exceptions such as if an opposing player is booked or sent off as a result of the injury-inflicting challenge.
Also if a penalty is being taken or the injured player is a goalkeeper, the one-minute rule does not apply.
Potential changes to VAR
Expansions to VAR’s duties have also been put forward for the 2026/27 season, though some are optional on a league-by-league basis.
VAR will review dubious second yellow cards in order to prevent players from being incorrectly sent off. VAR currently can’t intervene with second yellow card offences.
In the case of missed second yellow card offences, VAR will not be used as it was deemed too intrusive.
VAR will also be able to intervene in cases of obvious mistaken identity when it comes to opposing sides. For example, if an attacker is booked for a foul or handball when, in fact, it was the defending player who caused the offence.
The ‘Denial of an Obvious Goalscoring Opportunity’ (DOGSO) rule has also been expanded so that a red card can now be issued if a foul stops a fast counter-attack where the fouled player could have played the ball to a teammate in a clear goalscoring position.
If a goal is scored after an advantage is played on a DOGSO offence, the offending player will no longer receive a yellow card, as the goal was not denied.
While VAR will review corners at the World Cup, the Premier League is not expected to opt in to the change for the 2026/27 season.
Further changes include that only the team captain should approach and speak to the referee regarding match decisions.
A major change to the offside rule is also being trialled in Canada that was proposed by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. The rule change proposal states that a player is only deemed offside if ‘daylight’ is between the attacking player and the relevant opposition defender.
This change is not expected to be considered for the Premier League until the 2027/28 campaign at the earliest and is subject to successful trials and further review.
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