The International Football Association Board are discussing expanding the eight-second countdown on goalkeepers holding the ball to include throw-ins and goal kicks.
IFAB have confirmed that in their most recent meeting there was a particular focus on measures to improve the flow of play and minimise interruptions.
Perhaps most notably, there were discussions on expanding the new provisions to prevent goalkeepers from holding the ball for too long.
Starting this season, referees have been tasked with giving goalkeepers eight seconds to release the ball, holding their hand up for a visual countdown of the final five seconds. If the goalkeeper doesn’t release the ball in time, the referee awards a corner.
The IFAB statement suggests the change has been received positively worldwide, so they’re now considering whether to also apply the same system to throw-ins and goal kicks.
Discussions were also held on how to reduce the amount of time lost to injury and substitution stoppages.
Some have suggested this will be a blow to Arsenal, given the Gunners’ recent set-piece goals. But the team are yet to score from a long throw, and anyone who has watched an Arsenal game lately will know it’s usually the opposition goalkeeper wasting time on goal kicks.
So in reality, it will probably help Mikel Arteta’s side to have more ways to punish timewasting, especially if the punishment is a corner!
In other news, IFAB are preparing to submit a proposal to allow VAR to intervene in cases of second yellow cards. As it stands, VAR can only correct a straight red-card decision.
It seems the proposal would only cover incorrectly awarded second yellows, and not a potential second yellow that might have been missed. The proposal will be submitted at the IFAB Annual Business Meeting in January.
Testing on Arsene Wenger’s proposed new offside rule also remains ongoing, with no decision made in implementing the rule on a wider scale.