HENSOL, Wales (AP) — An adjusted version of an off-field treatment rule that Lionel Messi complained about in 2024 was adopted in time for the World Cup by the International Football Association Board on Saturday.
The annual general meeting of IFAB, which sets the rules of the game globally, also expanded the scope of the VAR to include corner kicks and second yellow cards and other measures to speed up the game. Other rules implemented include a “countdown principle” applying to throw-ins and goal kicks.
In new rules that will apply to the World Cup, video replays will be allowed to check and review red cards arising from “a clearly incorrect second yellow card” and be able to overturn a “clearly incorrectly awarded corner kick, provided that the review can be completed immediately and without delaying the restart.”
VAR can also look at mistaken identity, when the referee penalizes the wrong player for an offense resulting in a red or yellow card.
Under the off-field treatment rule, players who cause a delay to the game because of injury “will be required to leave the field of play and remain off for one minute once play has restarted.”
Major League Soccer originally implemented the rule with a two-minute waiting period. During a match between Inter Miami and Montreal in 2024. Messi went down for an extended time with an apparent knee injury and was sent to the sideline to wait for two minutes before re-entering the game.
Messi was seen complaining during the wait, saying in Spanish, “With this type of rule, we’re going in a bad direction.”
Injury-related stoppages in MLS dropped from an average of five to six every match to 1.5 per match.
“How can you find a way to evolve the game and still maintain the integrity of the sport? That’s a fine balance, and understanding that you’re not always going to be given pats on the back, people aren’t always going to say glowing things about new things that you’re going to introduce,” MLS head of sporting innovation Ali Curtis said.
IFAB also agreed to trials being conducted to further look at tactical injury delays by goalkeepers in an effort to “to deter this behavior.”
A timed substitution rule devised by MLS was also adopted by IFAB on Saturday. It directs substituted players to leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed. If they don’t, the substitute will not be allowed onto the field until the first stoppage after one minute of play has elapsed.
Last year, IFAB approved a rule change whereby the opposing team is awarded a corner kick if a goalkeeper holds the ball for more than eight seconds.
There will now be a similar rule at throw-ins and goal kicks.
If the referee considers either is taking too long, a five-second visual countdown will be initiated. If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team and the goal kick will instead be a corner for the opposing team.
Players covering mouths
IFAB said it will hold a consultation process to develop measures to deal with players covering their mouths when confronting opponents during matches.
Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a recent Champions League playoff game while covering his mouth with his jersey.
Prestianni denied racially insulting Vinícius. He did not play in the return match against Madrid on Wednesday after being suspended for one match by UEFA.
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