Low match tempo, FIFA ready to intervene, again proposes a change to the regulations

In today’s football, one of the main issues increasingly worrying fans of the world’s most beautiful game is the low tempo of matches. Alongside technology and the VAR system, which have divided public opinion regarding their function and effectiveness in modern football, frequent delays, the increase in substitutions, and hesitation in resuming play after set pieces continue to be discussed at the tables of the highest football authority.

The latest meeting took place in London, where IFAB (International Football Association Board) convened to focus on a series of measures aimed at improving match tempo and reducing interruptions.

Following the positive global impact of the new rule preventing goalkeepers from holding the ball for too long, IFAB strongly agreed on further measures to reduce game interruptions, including implementing a countdown for returning the ball into play from the sidelines and goal kicks.

The assembly proposed several rule changes requiring players to leave the field for medical treatment instead of receiving it on the pitch, where they would remain for a set period. Additionally, the assembly agreed to enforce a 10-second limit for players leaving the field when being substituted.

Regarding the VAR protocol, the assembly recommended that interventions remain limited to four specific situations that could change the outcome of the match (goal, penalty, direct red card, and mistaken identity). Three specific expansions were added: red cards issued following an incorrect second yellow card, cases where a team is wrongly penalized for a foul that results in a yellow or red card, and corner kicks clearly awarded incorrectly, with the condition that all reviews are conducted immediately.

“KORÇA BOOM”