Arab Cup 2025 Sparks New Referee Rule Test: Injured Players Get a Quick Two-Minute Medical Timeout

Rule trial at Arab Cup 2025

The International Football Association (FIFA) announced on Saturday its intention to test a new refereeing decision during the Arab Cup 2025, which would allow an injured player to leave the pitch and enter the medical staff area for a full two minutes to avoid wasting time.

Roberto Grassi, head of Youth Competitions at FIFA, told AFP that the benefits of testing this decision at the Arab Cup lie in ensuring new procedures for match management and injury handling are applied. He added that referees will evaluate all details related to the trial before a final call after the tournament.

Grassi noted that FIFA always tests new procedures before official adoption, as with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). He described the Arab Cup as a prestigious platform to trial this decision.

Italian Pierluigi Colina, FIFA's refereeing chief, told Al Kass TV that the rule aims to make football more exciting and faster, stressing that the main reason is to speed up play.

Colina added that the rule would apply in all cases except when an injury leads to the opponent receiving a red card or a yellow card due to the incident, and also in situations involving goalkeeper injuries, since a team cannot play without a goalkeeper.

Focus on real injuries and game flow

Hani Blan, Qatar's deputy head of refereeing, said the aim is to address genuine injuries rather than simulations. He added: when a player is injured, the referee approaches him and asks if on-field treatment is required or if play can continue, thereby speeding the game and reducing time-wasting.

Grassi said the referees committee will evaluate the experiment after the tournament, stressing that the rule is not permanent yet: "We always test, think, monitor feedback, and then consult with our partners before deciding."

Public interest and tournament outlook

Jassim Al-Jassim, the chief executive of the organizing committee, said ticket sales for the Arab Cup have surpassed 700,000, including 210,000 tickets bought from outside Qatar, reflecting strong demand. He said Qatar leads in ticket purchases, followed by Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and he predicted the total could reach 1.6 million.

Regarding the opening ceremony, Al-Jassim added there will be more than a few surprises, with the event scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm local time. He also noted coordination for the next two editions of the tournament in 2029 and 2033 in Qatar to avoid clashes with other continental championships, and hinted at a possible expansion beyond 16 teams.

Punchlines: If the game speeds up further, the fans might need a cheat sheet for the offside rule. And don’t worry—the referee’s whistle isn’t hunting for retirement anytime soon.