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The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has approved a new law to tackle goalkeeper time-wasting. Starting from the 2025/2026 football season, goalkeepers holding the ball for more than eight seconds will be penalized with a corner kick awarded to the opposing team. This change is an amendment to Law 12.2, which previously allowed goalkeepers to hold the ball for six seconds before an indirect free-kick was awarded to the opposition.
The decision was made after trials in over 400 games across three different competitions, including Premier League 2, showed a significant reduction in time-wasting. Referees will now warn goalkeepers with a five-second countdown before penalizing them. The new rule aims to ensure fair play and reduce intentional time-wasting tactics by goalkeepers.
In addition to this change, IFAB has also introduced other amendments to the Laws of the Game, such as guidelines for team captains approaching referees and adjustments to the dropped ball and ball in play rules. These changes will come into effect on July 1, 2025.
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