The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is set to meet this Saturday to discuss a landmark rule requiring injured players to remain off the field for a full minute to combat time-wasting.
FIFA has proposed a global rule requiring players who receive on-field medical treatment to remain off the pitch for at least one minute.
This measure, aimed at reducing strategic delays and improving match flow, will be debated at the IFAB Annual General Meeting on February 28, 2026.
Referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina supports the move to discourage injury feigning, stating the goal is “discouraging players from exaggerating injuries and disrupting match tempo.”
The proposal follows varied trials, including a strict two-minute rule during the Arab Cup and a 30-second guideline currently used in the Premier League.
Major League Soccer has also implemented a version where players must leave if they remain down for over 15 seconds.
The potential one-minute mandatory wait represents a compromise, as IFAB members agreed in January that a “fixed time period should be written into the laws.”
Beyond injury delays, Saturday’s meeting in Wales will address broader match disruptions, including a proposed ten-second limit for substitutions and a “countdown principle” for throw-ins and goal kicks.
If approved, these changes will be officially incorporated into the 2026/27 Laws of the Game, potentially debuting at the 2026 World Cup.
The BBC reports the one-minute rule is favored to balance fairness while “maintaining fairness and improving the pace of the game.”