World football’s governing authority, FIFA, has proposed a new global regulation that would require players receiving medical treatment during matches to remain off the pitch for at least one minute before returning to action. The initiative is designed to reduce time-wasting tactics, discourage simulated injuries, and improve the overall flow and tempo of games. The proposal reflects growing concerns among football stakeholders about frequent stoppages that disrupt match rhythm and frustrate fans.
According to a report by BBC Sport published on Monday, February 23, 2026, the measure will be discussed at the upcoming annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the independent body responsible for determining football’s Laws of the Game. If approved, the rule would be formally incorporated into the international rulebook and implemented across competitions worldwide in the near future.
Under existing regulations, there is currently no universal requirement dictating how long a player treated on the field must remain off play. Individual leagues have been allowed to establish their own guidelines. England’s Premier League, for instance, introduced a 30-second off-field rule at the start of the 2023–24 season in an effort to limit tactical stoppages and speed up restarts.
FIFA has previously experimented with stricter versions of the policy. A two-minute mandatory absence was trialled during the FIFA Arab Cup in December, overseen by FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina. While the trial aimed to clamp down on exaggerated injuries and unnecessary delays, it faced resistance from teams and coaches who argued that extended absences could unfairly disadvantage sides during critical moments of closely contested matches.
A similar framework already operates in Major League Soccer (MLS), where players who remain on the ground for more than 15 seconds and require treatment must temporarily leave the field. Football lawmakers believe such measures help deter gamesmanship while maintaining fairness and protecting genuine medical care for injured players.
IFAB members agreed earlier in January that a standardized off-field period should be embedded directly into football’s global laws, though discussions continued over the appropriate duration. The proposed one-minute compromise seeks to balance player welfare, competitive fairness, and the need to safeguard effective playing time. If ratified at this weekend’s meeting, the rule would represent another significant step in ongoing efforts by FIFA and IFAB to modernize officiating standards and ensure a faster, more continuous spectacle for fans worldwide.
