FIFA has proposed a new rule that would require players who receive on-field medical treatment to remain off the pitch for at least one minute in a bid to curb time-wasting and improve the flow of matches.
According to BBC Sport on Monday, February 23, the proposal will be discussed at the annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board, the body responsible for the Laws of the Game. If approved, the measure will be incorporated into football’s global rulebook.
Currently, the Laws of the Game do not stipulate a mandatory period that injured players must stay off the field after receiving treatment, leaving domestic competitions to adopt their own guidelines.
The Premier League introduced a 30-second off-field rule at the start of the 2023–24 season. FIFA also trialled a stricter two-minute rule during the Arab Cup in December, but the proposal met resistance amid concerns that such a duration could unfairly disadvantage teams.
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FIFA’s referees’ chief, Pierluigi Collina, said the trial was designed to discourage players from exaggerating injuries and disrupting the tempo of matches.
A similar approach is already in use in Major League Soccer, where players must temporarily leave the pitch if they remain on the ground for more than 15 seconds and medical staff are called on.
Members of IFAB agreed in January that a fixed time period should be included in the laws, although discussions continued over the exact duration.
The proposed one-minute rule is viewed as a compromise aimed at balancing fairness with the need to maintain the pace of the game.