ZURICH, March 3 (AGCNewsNet) – FIFA and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) have introduced major updates to football’s Laws of the Game for the 2025/26 season, including new goalkeeper time limits and the introduction of Football Video Support.

FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom emphasized the success of Football Video Support, tested at the FIFA U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups, and stated that FIFA aims to make the technology more affordable for lower-tier leagues.

One significant rule change concerns goalkeepers holding the ball too long. Under the revised Law 12.2, if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds, following a five-second visual countdown, the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick instead of an indirect free kick.

Other amendments include new guidelines for team captains (Law 3.10) to improve referee communication, updates to dropped ball (Law 8.2) and ball-in-play (Law 9.2) procedures, and an option for referees to announce VAR decisions publicly in certain competitions.

These changes, effective July 1, 2025, aim to enhance fairness, efficiency, and the use of technology in football.

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