Wider scope for VAR and efforts to combat time-wasting among new football rule changes

Football lawmakers have approved a raft of new changes which will come into effect at the World Cup and next season.

Here are the biggest changes set to be introduced following the International Football Association Board’s (IFAB) annual general meeting.

Countdowns for throw-ins and goal kicks

This season saw the introduction of referee countdowns when goalkeepers have the ball in their hands. Failure to release the ball by the end of the countdown sees a corner kick awarded to the opposition team.

And countdowns are now set to be introduced for throw-ins and goal kicks too.

“If the referee considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or is being deliberately delayed, a five-second visual countdown will be initiated,” IFAB said.

“If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team; a delayed goal kick will result in a corner kick to the opposing team.”

Time limited subs

Substitutes will now have to leave the field within ten seconds of the substitution board being displayed.

Should the player coming off fail to do so, the player coming on will not be able to enter the pitch for another minute.

Injured players must go off for one minute

In a further effort to combat timewasting, those who go down injured must now leave the pitch for one minute.