Countdown to Fair Play: IFAB Tests 10-Second Rule and Substitution Clock in Cardiff
3 February 2026
What’s being proposed
A Football Association meeting in Cardiff later this month will see lawmakers vote on a countdown clock to curb time-wasting and on introducing a 10-second substitution rule.
According to the Daily Mail, IFAB's annual meeting will be held in Wales, with a vote on a proposal to allow referees to set time limits for throw-ins and goal kicks.
The aim is to reduce deliberate delays by players and coaches, to increase playing time, and if referees suspect time-wasting, they could signal a five-second pause with a finger.
Non-compliance would turn goal kicks into a corner for the opposing team, and throw-ins would go the other way.
The ten-second rule could also apply to substitutions, potentially ending slow exits from the field.
Spotting more goalkeeper injuries would be investigated as well.
Because goalkeepers cannot be forced off like outfield players, this could allow teams to reorganize.
The Cardiff meeting on February 28 will include four FIFA members and one from each of the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A vote requires six of eight votes to pass, with changes taking effect from July 1 and potentially applying to the World Cup.
The council could also expand VAR’s remit to review red cards from incorrect second bookings and ID errors.
The council will also decide whether players may wear jewelry, provided it is taped.
Punchline 1: Time-wasting? The clock just filed a complaint with the whistle—sniper precision, zero excuses.
Punchline 2: If football drama had a highlight reel, the referee would be the star—and the clock would be the crafty camera lens.
