The power of VAR has been expanded by the governing bodies of football.
Starting this summer, competitions will have the option to use VAR to review corner kicks. Additionally, the core VAR protocol has been broadened to address second yellow cards and cards incorrectly awarded to the wrong team.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), responsible for setting the rules of football, has also approved new measures to counteract tactics aimed at disrupting the pace of games, to take effect this summer.
The successful implementation of an eight-second rule for goalkeepers has encouraged IFAB to push further in their attempts to prevent players from slowing down the match tempo.
Referees will now have the authority to initiate a five-second countdown if they believe players are delaying throw-ins or dead-ball goal kicks. Furthermore, substitutions must be completed within a maximum of 10 seconds; otherwise, the substitute must remain off the field for at least one minute.
Moreover, the IFAB has mandated that any player whose injury causes a stoppage in play must remain off the field for a minimum of one minute.
The Premier League has been trialling a 30-second allowance, but some IFAB members believe this duration is insufficient as a deterrent. Other competitions have experimented with longer intervals, including a two-minute trial at last year’s Arab Cup.
The aim of these new measures is not only to keep the game flowing but also to minimize additional time added on for stoppages, which affects players’ welfare, fan experience, and broadcasters’ schedules.
The changes ratified on Saturday will officially be integrated into the laws of the game starting July 1, but they will be implemented during this summer’s World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.
The IFAB will also initiate trials to further investigate tactical injury delays by goalkeepers and explore options to mitigate such behaviors.
Lawmakers stress that VAR checks on corners should not delay the kick and will only be employed to identify clear errors. Checking corner-kicks will be an optional addition to the VAR protocol, not a mandatory one.
VAR will only examine instances of incorrectly awarded second yellow cards and will not prompt referees to issue a second yellow if it wasn’t initially shown during the match.
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The IFAB will also engage in consultations to devise strategies regarding players leaving the field in protest against referee decisions or team officials instigating such actions, as well as addressing players covering their mouths when confronting opponents.
The Africa Cup of Nations final faced delays due to a walk-off by Senegal, while Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni is accused of racially abusing Real Madrid winger Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match while his mouth was covered with his shirt.
UEFA is currently investigating the incident, and Prestianni has denied the allegations of racial abuse against Vinícius.