FIFA will bar players from leaving the field when a goalkeeper pretends injury to force a goalkeeper tactical timeout at the 2026 World Cup. Referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina told coaches of all 48 teams that any rush to the technical area will be stopped. The rule mirrors a temporary NWSL measure that keeps both sides in place until the referee signals the restart of play.

IFAB also approved a change allowing VAR to review attacking fouls that occur before the ball is in play. The amendment covers corners, free‑kicks and penalties, meaning a pre‑corner block like Adam Wharton’s on José Giménez could trigger a retake. Collina said officials will intervene without issuing yellow cards for the infraction. The review will be limited to clear and decisive incidents to avoid delaying the game.

Additional tweaks target time‑wasting: five‑second countdowns for throw‑ins and goal‑kicks, ten‑second limits on substitutions, and a one‑minute off‑field treatment rule except for genuine injuries. Covering the mouth in a confrontational exchange now draws a red card. Coaches will need to adapt strategies knowing that any deliberate delay may now be penalised. Collina hopes the suite of changes will shorten stoppage time compared with 2022, but hydration breaks remain.