Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League clubs will have to get used to some new rules ahead of next season, which should make the competition much better to watch
13:26, 13 Jun 2026
Premier League referee Michael Oliver.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver.(Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
The World Cup might have taken center stage in soccer at the moment, but the Premier League's return is not that far away. Indeed, on Friday, the fixture schedule for 2026/27 will be released.
When the games kick off, though, there will be some changes to the rules that referees will have to implement. Some of those changes have already been seen in the US, Canada and Mexico (albeit the tournament has seen some controversial calls in the early stages, including three red cards in the opening match).
Here are the four new rules you need to know about ahead of Liverpool returning to league action in August, which you may already have spotted at the World Cup.
Injuries
Any player who receives treatment for an injury on the field will be required to leave the pitch for at least one minute if no yellow or red card is shown for the challenge.
This is an increase from the 30 seconds previously used by the Premier League, and is in line with major leagues around Europe. It is essentially designed to stop time-wasting.
Liverpool.com says: Speeding up the game is a key theme of the rule changes, and rightly so. Things were far too disjointed last term. Thankfully, the water breaks midway through each half won't be required in England.
Restarts
A five-second countdown will be coming in for throw-ins and goal kicks. If it takes more than five seconds, the restart of play is awarded to the opposition.
The throw-ins will be reversed and given to the opponent, for instance, while goal-kicks will become corners. The countdown will begin when the player has the ball and it is reasonable to start counting.
Liverpool.com says: Again, getting on with things more quickly is key. Hopefully, referees can spend less time speaking with players inside the penalty area before corners are taken too.
Substitutions
A 10-second time limit for players will be applied when substitutions are made. The player coming off will need to leave the field much more quickly when the board goes up.
If the time limit is exceeded, the player coming on to replace them cannot enter the field until the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed, which will presumably be managed by the fourth official.
Liverpool.com says: There is nothing more infuriating than a player messing about on the halfway line before pretending to notice that their number has come up on the board. This should make things better.
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VAR
A VAR review will now be permitted when second yellow cards are awarded and a player gets a red card as a result. However, this is only for when players are awarded a second yellow card, rather than when there is a foul that could be given as a caution.
In some leagues, VAR will be allowed to review incorrectly awarded corners. But the Premier League does not intend to adopt that because it adds to the disruption in the flow of the game.
Liverpool.com says: Having VAR for corners surely wouldn't take that long? If it's a clear-cut decision, viewers on TV normally know straight away from the replay whether a corner was incorrectly awarded before the set-piece is taken.