Football Today
·27 July 2026
Football Today
·27 July 2026
It has now got the approval of the International Football Association Board (IFAB).
The move is supported by the FA, Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League, National League and Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
The aim is to cut down time-wasting and make sure matches are played at a faster pace.
As part of the new trial, if play is halted because of a goalkeeper injury, the manager or head coach has to immediately send one outfield player off the pitch.
That player will only be allowed to come back after at least one minute has passed since play restarted.
The law is meant to stop teams from using goalkeeper treatment breaks as a tactical way to break the opposition’s rhythm, waste time or receive extra coaching instructions.
There will be a few exceptions. The temporary removal of a player will not apply if the goalkeeper needs immediate treatment after being fouled.
It will also not apply if the goalkeeper and a teammate collide and both need medical attention, or if the goalkeeper is bleeding.
The trial will be used across the men’s and women’s professional game in England, but it will not go below National League Step 2 in the men’s pyramid.
Football authorities will keep a close watch on the experiment through the campaign along with IFAB to see whether it improves the flow of matches without affecting player welfare.
The goalkeeper injury trial is part of a broader set of measures brought in to increase ball-in-play time.
After the successful introduction of the goalkeeper eight-second possession rule last season, officials will also start using a five-second countdown when players delay throw-ins or goal kicks.
Along with that, a new 10-second limit for substituted players to leave the pitch will come into effect across the professional game.
These laws will begin from the opening round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup on August 1, as football’s lawmakers continue their effort to reduce unnecessary stoppages.
