Football Mar 12, 2026

IFAB: VAR powers extended to include second yellow cards and corner checks as timewasting clamped down on

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
IFAB: VAR powers extended to include second yellow cards and corner checks as timewasting clamped down on

VAR's powers have been extended by football's lawmakers.

Using VAR to check corners will be an option for competitions from this summer, while the core VAR protocol has now been widened to cover second yellow cards.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB), which sets the laws of football, also approved a package of measures to counter tactics designed to disrupt the tempo of matches, which come into effect this summer.

The successful introduction of the eight-second rule for goalkeepers has encouraged IFAB to go further on efforts to stop players slowing the game.

Referees will be given the power to start a five-second countdown if they feel players are taking too long over throw-ins and dead-ball goal kicks, and substitutions must be completed in no more than 10 seconds, otherwise the substitute must stay off for at least one minute.

The IFAB also decided at its annual general meeting in Wales on Saturday to enforce a period of at least one minute off the field for any player whose injury forces a stoppage in play.

The Premier League has been trialling a 30-second period, but some within the IFAB did not feel this was long enough to serve as a deterrent. Other competitions had tested longer periods, with two minutes trialled at last year's Arab Cup.

The aim with all the measures set to be adopted is to maintain the tempo of the game but also to help reduce time to be added on for stoppages, which is a problem from a player welfare perspective, for supporters and for broadcasters' schedules.

Changes agreed on Saturday will officially become part of the laws of the game from July 1 but will be adopted at this summer's World Cup which kicks off on June 11.

The IFAB also agreed trials be conducted to further assess goalkeeper tactical injury delays and to propose options to deter this behaviour.

Lawmakers are adamant VAR checks on corners must not delay the kick being taken and will only be used to spot obvious errors. Corner-kick checks will be an option, rather than a mandatory part of the VAR protocol.

VARs will also only check incorrectly-awarded second yellow cards. They will not advise referees to issue a second yellow card where one was not shown on the field.

The IFAB will also hold consultations to develop measures where players leave the field of play as an act of protest against a referee's decision or team officials instigating such action and where players cover their mouth when confronting opponents during matches.

The Africa Cup of Nations final was delayed by a walk-off by Senegal, while Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni is alleged to have racially abused Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match last week while his mouth was covered by his shirt.

UEFA is investigating the incident and Prestianni denies racially abusing Vinicius.

Tags:

football news

Share this article

Related Posts

Max Dowman: Arsenal's 16-year-old wonderkid stands out once again in FA Cup win over Mansfield

Max Dowman: Arsenal's 16-year-old wonderkid stands out once again in FA Cup win over Mansfield

Arsenal did not play well at Mansfield. They were dominated at the start of the game, pegged back in the second half and held on a little at the end....

Manchester United targeting Bournemouth attacker Marcus Tavernier - Paper talk and football transfer gossip

Manchester United targeting Bournemouth attacker Marcus Tavernier - Paper talk and football transfer gossip

The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's newspapers...Manchester United have added Bournemouth attacker Marcus Tavernier to their summer tra...

Wrexham: Phil Parkinson criticises VAR after George Dobson red card and Lewis Brunt goal disallowed in FA Cup loss to Chelsea

Wrexham: Phil Parkinson criticises VAR after George Dobson red card and Lewis Brunt goal disallowed in FA Cup loss to Chelsea

Phil Parkinson criticised VAR in Wrexham's first encounter with the system during the dramatic 4-2 loss to Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup.Wr...

Grok posts about fatal football disasters 'sickening', says government as Liverpool and Man Utd make complaints to social media platform

Grok posts about fatal football disasters 'sickening', says government as Liverpool and Man Utd make complaints to social media platform

Liverpool and Manchester United have made complaints to social media platform X over posts generated by the Grok AI tool about Hillsborough, Munich an...

Pep Guardiola: Man City boss handed two-game touchline ban for sixth yellow card of season but will not miss Carabao Cup final

Pep Guardiola: Man City boss handed two-game touchline ban for sixth yellow card of season but will not miss Carabao Cup final

Pep Guardiola will receive a two-game touchline ban after the Manchester City boss was booked for the sixth time this season during the FA Cup win ove...

Ryan Gravenberch: Liverpool midfielder signs new long-term contract until 2032

Ryan Gravenberch: Liverpool midfielder signs new long-term contract until 2032

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has signed a new long-term contract at the club. Your Site News understands the new deal will run until 2032 aft...