UEFA and the refereeing representatives of all 55 European national football associations have agreed on a unified approach to the application of the Laws of the Game ahead of the 2026/27 season, with a strong focus on consistency, transparency and improving match flow.
The meeting, attended by UEFA Refereeing Officers and a representative from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), focused primarily on the latest amendments to the Laws of the Game and how they will be implemented across domestic and European competitions.
UEFA Managing Director for Refereeing Roberto Rosetti described the agreement as a significant milestone for European football.
Rosetti said that adopting common guidelines across all national associations would improve understanding of refereeing decisions among players, clubs, supporters and other stakeholders, while ensuring the laws are applied with greater clarity and consistency.
A key outcome of the meeting was unanimous support for IFAB’s new rule changes for the 2026/27 campaign. The amendments are designed to reduce time-wasting, speed up match restarts and increase the amount of time the ball remains in play.
The new measures target delays involving goal kicks, throw-ins, substitutions and injuries, with referees instructed to enforce the updated regulations consistently throughout the season.
The meeting also addressed the use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), with participants agreeing on the importance of a more uniform application of the technology across all competitions.
Following recent changes to the VAR protocol introduced by IFAB, officials received updated guidance on handling cases of mistaken identity. UEFA also reiterated that VAR should only intervene in situations involving a “clear and obvious” error or when a significant incident has been missed by the on-field referee.
Refereeing officials stressed that VAR is intended to support, rather than replace, the referee’s authority, emphasising that lengthy reviews should remain the exception, as they often indicate the original decision was not clearly incorrect.
Another important topic discussed was the relationship between referees and team captains. UEFA confirmed its intention to further strengthen communication protocols, building on the positive approach introduced during UEFA EURO 2024 to encourage greater respect for match officials.
UEFA announced that additional guidance and initiatives aimed at ensuring the consistent application of the Laws of the Game and VAR procedures across European football will be unveiled in the coming weeks.
