IFAB Confirms 5 Major Football Rule Changes For 2025/26 Season

IFAB Confirms 5 Major Football Rule Changes For 2025/26 Season

Sampson Adedeji

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has announced five significant updates to the Laws of the Game, set to take effect in the 2025/26 season. These changes will debut at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, hosted in the United States, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Here are the five key rule changes:

1. Goalkeeper Possession Time Goalkeepers will now have a maximum of 8 seconds to hold the ball. 

If exceeded, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick—a shift from the previous indirect free kick.

2. Ball Drop Situations When play is stopped with the ball outside the penalty area, possession will be given to the team that clearly had control. If unclear, the restart goes to the team that last touched the ball.

3. Contact Outside the Field of Play If a substitute, coach, or dismissed player accidentally touches the ball while it's going out of play, the restart will be an indirect free kick. No cards or disciplinary action will be taken.

4. VAR Communication Flexibility Competitions now have the option to allow referees to verbally explain VAR decisions to the crowd, or keep them private, depending on the tournament's rules.

5. Assistant Referee Positioning Assistant referees will now position themselves along the penalty spot line rather than the goal line to improve judgments on goal-line decisions and offside calls with VAR support.

Additional Innovations: Referee Body Cams: FIFA will trial referee body cameras at the Club World Cup, giving fans unique, real-time views from the referee’s perspective.

Referee Communication Protocols: Only team captains will be permitted to speak with the referee in select situations, aiming to boost respect and reduce crowding around officials.