The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved a major change to the Laws of the Game, introducing a stricter time limit for goalkeepers holding the ball.
From the 2025/26 season, goalkeepers who hold the ball for longer than eight seconds will concede a corner kick to the opposition. This replaces the current rule, which penalises goalkeepers with an indirect free kick if they hold the ball for more than six seconds. Referees will now implement a five-second visual countdown before awarding the corner.
The decision was unanimously agreed at IFAB’s 139th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Belfast, following successful trials that demonstrated a positive impact in reducing time-wasting and improving game flow.
A Stricter Approach to Time-Wasting
The six-second rule for goalkeepers has been in place for years but was often inconsistently enforced. The new amendment aims to encourage quicker restarts and prevent goalkeepers from deliberately delaying play to waste time.
Referees will now visibly count down the final five seconds, making it clearer for players, officials, and fans when the goalkeeper is nearing the limit. If the time is exceeded, instead of an indirect free kick inside the penalty area, the opposing team will now be awarded a corner kick.
This change is expected to have a significant impact, particularly in the closing stages of matches, when teams leading by a narrow margin often look to slow the game down.
Additional Changes to the Laws of the Game
Alongside the new goalkeeper rule, several other amendments will come into effect from 1 July 2025, including:
- A clarification of the dropped ball rule to ensure fair possession when play is stopped.
- An update on off-the-field interference, awarding an indirect free kick if a team official or substitute unintentionally touches the ball as it leaves play.
- New VAR protocols allow competitions to give referees the option to announce decisions after reviews.
- Changes to assistant referee positioning, ensuring they align with the penalty mark for better monitoring of goal-line decisions and goalkeeper encroachment.
Implementation at FIFA Club World Cup 2025
With competitions permitted to introduce the new rules before or after 1 July 2025, FIFA has confirmed that they will be enforced at the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins on 14 June 2025.
This will provide an early test for the eight-second goalkeeper rule at the highest level, with referees expected to strictly apply the countdown system during the tournament.
The change to goalkeeper time limits reflects a growing effort to speed up the game and reduce unnecessary stoppages. IFAB’s latest updates reinforce the need for more effective time management, ensuring that football remains dynamic and fair for both players and spectators.
