FIFA Proposes One-Minute Injury Rule

- The proposal will be voted on at the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the sport's rulemaking body, on Saturday, February 28, 2026. If approved, the change would be formally written into the universal Laws of the Game. - This one-minute proposal is a compromise after FIFA trialed a two-minute rule at the Arab Cup, which faced strong opposition from leagues and clubs who felt it was too punitive. - Exceptions to the rule are planned, meaning a player would not have to leave the field if the injury resulted from a foul that led to a yellow or red card for the opponent. Goalkeepers and players who are set to take a penalty kick are also exempt. - A similar rule exists in Major League Soccer, where a player must exit the field if they are on the ground for more than 15 seconds and a physio is called on. - Clubs have expressed concern that the rule could lead to teams conceding goals while temporarily down a player, citing a past instance where Brentford scored against Manchester United while defender Matthijs de Ligt was off the pitch receiving treatment for a cut. - The new time-wasting proposals also include a 10-second limit for substitutions; if a player exceeds this, their replacement cannot enter until the next stoppage, forcing the team to play with 10 players for at least a minute. - The countdown clock for restarts will be five seconds for throw-ins and goal kicks. Failure to restart within the time limit would result in the opposition gaining possession (a reversed throw-in or a corner kick). - These initiatives are part of a wider effort championed by FIFA's chief referee, Pierluigi Collina, to increase effective playing time and improve the pace of the game.