The International Football Association Board IFAB’s approved 5 major changes to the Laws of the Game, set to come into effect from the 2025 – 2026 season.
These new rules will be officially introduced at the 2025 fifa Club World cup, hosted by the U.S from 14 Jun to 13 Jul.
Here Are the 5 Key Rule Changes:
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Goalkeeper Ball Holding Time
If goalkeeper holds the ball for more than 8 second, the opposing team will now be awarded corner kick instead of indirect free kick under the new law.
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Dropped Ball Situations
If play’s stopped while the ball’s outside the penalty area, the ball will be dropped to the team that last clearly had possession. If unclear it goes to the last team that touched it.
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Ball Contact Outside the Field
If substitute, coach or dismissed player touches the ball unintentionally while it’s going out of play, the referee will award an indirect free kick with no disciplinary action taken.
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VAR Announcement Flexibility
Competitions can now allow referees to publicly explain their video review decisions or opt not to, depending on the rules of each tournament.
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Assistant Referee Positioning
To better assess goal line and offside calls with VAR support, assistant referees will be positioned along the penalty spot line instead of the goal line.
Tech Innovations and Player Conduct
FIFA’ll also test body cameras on referees during the Club World cup to offer fans unique live footage from the referee’s point of view.
Additionally only team captains will be allowed to address referees in certain situations, a rule praised for improving fairness and respect in trials last season.
Historic Opener: Al Ahly Vs Inter Miami
Egyptian giants Al Ahly’ll play Inter Miami in the tournament opener , marking the 1st official match under the updated football laws.
[foot-africa]