FIFA has announced a clampdown on the controversial 'goalkeeper tactical timeout' at the 2026 World Cup. Referees chief Pierluigi Collina revealed that players will be prohibited from going to the technical area to consult coaches when a goalkeeper is down injured, a ploy increasingly used to disrupt momentum or relay instructions. The move, part of a wider package of law amendments, aims to preserve the flow of the game and eliminate cynical time-wasting.
The tactic, which has drawn criticism from across the sport, sees a goalkeeper feign injury to allow the manager to call an impromptu team talk. In a high-profile incident last November, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke accused Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma of exploiting the loophole to "bend the rules." Under the new directive, referees will be proactive: when a keeper requires treatment, the outfield players must remain in the center circle or stay where they are, mirroring a temporary rule introduced earlier this year by the National Women's Soccer League.
Collina, addressing all 48 competing nations in a workshop, stressed the referee's role. "They will not allow the two teams to go to the benches when a goalkeeper is lying on the ground injured," he said. "The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to leave the field of play to have a sort of timeout with their respective coaches." Interestingly, no yellow cards will be shown for violations; the officials will simply prevent players from approaching the technical area.
The effectiveness of the ban may be diluted by the presence of three-minute hydration breaks in each half—a natural timeout already built into the tournament schedule. Collina acknowledged the peculiar sight of teams huddling on the sideline while a keeper receives treatment, calling it "quite weird" that only the referee, physio, and goalkeeper remain on the pitch.
In another significant alteration, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved a request to expand VAR's remit to include attacking fouls that occur before the ball is in play. Previously, incidents such as blocking runs before a corner was taken were not reviewable. The change was prompted by a controversial England goal against Uruguay in March. Adam Wharton blocked Jose Maria Gimenez before Cole Palmer's corner delivery, allowing Harvey Barnes and Ben White to combine for a tap-in. VAR could not intervene because the foul preceded the restart.
Collina argued that goals stemming from such illegal blocks are "very unfair" when a defender is prevented from challenging. The new protocol, to be applied at the World Cup and reviewed afterward, will let VAR recommend a retake of the set-piece if an attacking foul with direct impact on a goal is detected. Crucially, it covers only attacking fouls—defensive holding or pulling remains outside this remit.
A third headline-grabbing change is the introduction of a mandatory red card for any player who covers their mouth with a hand, arm, or shirt during a confrontational exchange. The rule follows a Champions League incident in February between Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. Prestianni was later handed a six-game ban by UEFA for homophobic conduct. Collina explained that covering the mouth in an aggressive situation hints at misconduct: "When the conversation is confrontational, covering the mouth means that you are doing something very wrong, potentially, and the sanction is the red card." Friendly interactions, however, remain unaffected.
Beyond these focal points, FIFA is implementing a slew of measures targeting time-wasting. A five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal-kicks will award possession to the opposition for deliberate delays. Substituted players have ten seconds to exit at the nearest point or face a one-minute numerical disadvantage. Injured players receiving on-field treatment must stay off for 60 seconds (with exceptions for goalkeepers and certain fouls). These rules, Collina hopes, will reduce the lengthy stoppage time that characterized the 2022 World Cup.
VAR will also gain the ability to check whether a corner should have been awarded—provided the review is completed before the restart—though wrongfully given goal-kicks are exempt. Additionally, second yellow cards leading to dismissals can now be reviewed, though potential second yellows cannot be upgraded.
The suite of changes reflects FIFA’s determination to protect the sport’s integrity and pace. While some, like the goalkeeper timeout ban, directly address modern gamesmanship, others, such as the VAR expansion, seek to correct clear officiating errors that distort results. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, teams will need to adapt swiftly to a landscape where cynical tactics are met with sharper officiating and technological oversight.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.