English football will run a trial this season aimed at stopping teams from using goalkeeper treatment as a tactical timeout.
The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women’s Super League have agreed to the plan, with approval from the International Football Association Board (Ifab).
After consultations led by Pro Ref and chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, the solution chosen requires the affected team to temporarily remove an outfield player. When a referee invites medical staff on to treat a goalkeeper, the coach has 10 seconds to name an outfield player who must leave the pitch for one minute once play restarts, notifying the fourth official. If no one is nominated in time, the captain must go off.
The first match to apply the trial will be Saturday’s Carabao Cup preliminary round between Tranmere and Rochdale. Separately, the Australian A-League plans to test a version in which the captain always leaves the field.
Using goalkeeper treatment to create a de facto timeout or to halt an opponent’s momentum has become more frequent and contentious, with keepers often sitting down for attention while teammates gather for instructions before play quickly resumes. In November, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke accused Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to “bend the rules” and disrupt the game.
Ifab has also clarified the “mistaken identity” provision after Fifa used it at the World Cup to caution two players for simulation—Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron and Switzerland’s Breel Embolo. Embolo’s second booking led to his dismissal in the quarter-final loss to Argentina. Ifab says the approach was well received and will be considered in a detailed VAR protocol review, but it should not be applied again until that review is complete.