New Rules and Amendments in Football Proposed by FIFA

These rules have not been finalized because other football organizations are yet to give their opinions. And they also need to acquire enough feedback from footballers, both active and retired players. Most football fans also do not support these rules for various reasons explained in this guide. Our author today is the trusted football reporter Kate Richardson (you can view her profile here).

Why Are Rules Proposed in Football?

Football has many rules that players and fans know about already. These rules are essential to ensure fair competition and help fans understand what is acceptable. They might find the game boring due to sudden stops and delays during the match if they are unaware of these rules.

Some rules exist simply to guide player reactions and emotions during the game. As humans, it is pretty easy to get emotional when the game is going against you. So these rules make the players aware that there are consequences to each of their actions.

You should also know that there are rules for football team managers and football teams aside from the in-game rules. An example is a restriction of coaches to the touchline and the number of registerable players on each team.

Some Of The New Rules Proposed By FIFA Are:

• 30 Minutes Halves:

The standard time duration for a football match is 90 minutes split into two halves of 45 minutes of gameplay. The players go for a 15 minutes break after the first 45 minutes, giving them time to rest, strategize and discuss any necessary changes to their gameplay. 

But FIFA already drafted a new rule of 1-hour football games split into two halves of 30 minutes each, which is yet to come into force. Under the new law, the referee will stop the clock will stop when there is any interruption, just like in the basket games. 

This proposal has already been deployed in the Future Cup Tournament, in the match between the youth categories of RB Leipzig and AZ Alkmaar. Most of the negative feedback is from the fans, claiming that 30 minutes of halftime will be too short for enough entertainment at football games and on bet online mauritius.

• Endless Substitution:

Another regulation proposed by FIFA is the number of allowed substitutions. The pandemic influenced this rule, as teams were allowed to make five substitutions, but FIFA later reversed it to three because the Premier League voted against it. 

The endless substitution rules that FIFA is proposing will give players who spend most of their time on the bench the opportunities to get more playtime. This rule may bring about all players on the bench to come up at a time. It also gives coaches more options to modify their team.

• No Throw-Ins:

Usually, when the ball runs past the sideline on the pitch, it leads to a term called Throw-Ins, which allows a player to pick the ball with his two hands and throw it to a team player. FIFA is considering replacing throw-ins with the Kick-In rule, allowing players to kick the ball in from the sideline instead of throwing it in with their hands.

FIFA and some other sports officials claim that the Throw-In rule seems to reduce the game’s momentum. Some players find it difficult to make long Throw-Ins into the pitch, and it causes unnecessary loss of possession to their opponent.

• Five Minutes Suspension: 

This rule alters the effects of cards shown to players in a football game. There are usually two types of cards in a football game, each with different purposes. These cards are given to players when they commit fouls, and the kind of card issued to a player depends on the severity of the tackle. The yellow card serves as a warning, while the red card sends a player off the pitch.

FIFA developed the five minutes suspension rule, which means when the yellow card is presented to a player; they are immediately suspended from the game for five minutes. This rule seems very strict for players, and it can also cause a team’s defensive aggressiveness to weaken due to fear of immediate suspension.

• No More Drink Breaks:

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, FIFA introduced drink breaks within each half to help their fitness. FIFA introduced this rule to reduce heat-induced fatigue when the Premier League resumed last season in the summer months of June and July. But this rule has been cancelled since the beginning of the 2020-21 seasons.

• VAR Changes: 

The International Football Association Board transferred the responsibility of VAR to FIFA in July 2020. They also made changes to the way that the refereeing assistant is used in-game. Firstly, there will be a heavier dependence on the Referee Review Area (RRA), which will offer consultation in three crucial areas: goals, red cards and penalty kicks.

There will also be a change to goalkeeper movement during penalty kicks. VAR requires a retake if the goalkeeper moves off the line before the player kicks the ball. If the goalkeeper also has his foot over the line and the ball goes in, the penalty will be counted because there was no contact between the goalkeeper and the ball. They also made a change to the Offside Flag rule. 

The assistant referee will keep his flag down for tight marginal offences when the players attempt to score a goal until the play has passed. After the play has passed, then he can raise his flag to signify a potential offside offence. Whether or not the ball goes in, the new rule requires referees to consult VAR to review the possibility of offside.

While we await the implementation of the new rules, it is important to note their impact on correct score predictions. The proposed changes on player substitutions and suspensions could affect teams who adopt an aggressive approach.