Football’s law-making body will debate a proposed five-second limit for goal-kicks and throw-ins at the International Football Association Board AGM in Wales on Saturday — a change that could all but end the recent rise of long throws as an attacking weapon in the Premier League and EFL.
IFAB, which comprises the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs plus FIFA, meets each spring and is the only organisation that can change the Laws of the Game; any amendments would apply globally. The board can also opt to trial measures first, making them optional for competitions. Any approved changes would take effect on July 1, and FIFA is expected to trial some proposals at this summer’s World Cup in North America.
Alongside the five-second idea, IFAB is likely to back widening VAR’s remit so it can review whether a player’s second yellow card was valid — an area VAR is currently barred from checking. Insiders expect that measure to pass with little resistance; it would allow officials at Stockley Park to reverse incorrect second-yellow decisions, such as Wily Boly’s dismissal for Nottingham Forest last season.
A more contentious proposal is permitting VAR to rule on whether a corner should be awarded. FIFA reportedly supports this change and may test it at the World Cup, but the home nations are cautious, fearing additional disruptive stoppages for supporters. The Premier League presently records the lowest VAR intervention rate among Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham has spoken against expanding VAR in this way, while Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s head of referees, says video officials would only step in for clear and obvious errors.
The eight-second goalkeeper rule, introduced to curb deliberate delay, is widely regarded as successful and has produced few incidents this season in which a keeper exceeded the limit and conceded a corner. That perceived effectiveness has encouraged IFAB to look at further measures to speed up the game.
Under the five-second proposal a player would have five seconds to restart play from a goal-kick or throw-in. If the limit is breached, a throw-in would be reversed to the opponent and a delayed goal-kick would be awarded as a corner to the attacking team. Critics argue five seconds would be too short to organise long throws and other set-piece routines, and referees warn that having to carry out visual countdowns for keepers and restart takers could distract from other match responsibilities.
Other items on the agenda include lengthening the mandatory off-field period after treatment for an injured player from 30 seconds to one minute — intended to improve welfare and deter time-wasting — and introducing a time limit for substitutions to keep play flowing. Sources say the home nations generally view the existing 30-second rule as effective, so that change may face opposition.
Each proposal will be put to a vote. A 75% majority is required for any law change: each home nation FA has one vote and FIFA holds four, so six of the eight votes must be in favour for an amendment to pass.