The International Football Association Board (IFAB), has introduced a major rule change aimed at stopping goalkeepers from wasting time during matches. Starting next season, goalkeepers who hold onto the ball for longer than eight seconds will give away a corner kick to the opposing team instead of an indirect free kick, which is the current rule.
Currently, goalkeepers are required to release the ball within six seconds, but referees rarely enforce this rule. To address this issue, a trial was conducted in various competitions where goalkeepers were allowed to hold the ball for up to eight seconds. During the last five seconds, referees would use a visual countdown with their hand to signal the time remaining.
Following this trial, IFAB decided to officially implement the new rule. “The amendment means that if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds (with the referee using a visual five-second countdown), the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team (rather than the current indirect free kick for more than six seconds),” IFAB stated after their annual meeting in Belfast.
The new rule is expected to significantly impact how goalkeepers manage their time on the ball. Under the current system, many goalkeepers take advantage of the weak enforcement of the six-second rule, often holding onto the ball for much longer without facing any real consequences. Since a corner kick presents a greater scoring opportunity for the opposing team compared to an indirect free kick, this change is likely to make goalkeepers more cautious about delaying play.
