The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for defining the Laws of the Game in soccer, has introduced a significant rule change to address goalkeeper time-wasting, effective from the 2025-26 season.

Announced on March 1, 2025, during IFAB’s 139th Annual General Meeting in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the amendment modifies Law 12.2, which governs indirect free kicks. Starting July 1, 2025—though implemented earlier for the FIFA Club World Cup beginning June 14, 2025—goalkeepers who hold the ball for more than eight seconds will concede a corner kick to the opposing team, replacing the rarely enforced six-second limit that previously warranted an indirect free kick.

The change stems from years of frustration over lax enforcement of the existing rule, where goalkeepers often held the ball far beyond six seconds without penalty—an IFAB study noted an average of 20 seconds during deliberate delays, compared to under six for quick releases.

Trials in youth leagues in England, Italy, and Malta’s top flight this season demonstrated the new rule’s effectiveness. Referees used a visual five-second countdown—raising an arm and lowering it like a clock—to signal the final warning, resulting in only four corner kicks awarded across over 400 matches, suggesting a strong deterrent effect. IFAB’s data indicates goalkeepers adjusted their behavior, releasing the ball faster to avoid the penalty, aligning with the goal of speeding up play.

Unlike the indirect free kick, which referees hesitated to award due to its proximity to goal and high scoring potential, a corner kick offers a balanced consequence: it punishes time-wasting without overly favoring the attacking team, as scoring from corners is less likely than from free kicks inside the box.

The rule will apply universally, though leagues can opt to adopt it earlier or delay until their next season if mid-campaign by July 2025. This shift, unanimously approved by IFAB’s members—FIFA and the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—marks a pragmatic step to enhance game flow, with early implementation set for the FIFA Club World Cup, including teams like Chelsea and Manchester City.