Football is set to see a huge change to its laws from next season, which could prove challenging for goalkeepers.
It has been announced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) that a huge law change will be implemented as of the 2025/26 season.
The decision comes as a response to goalkeepers keeping the ball in their grasp longer than the currently permitted six seconds.
As it stands, Law 12.2 states that an indirect free-kick is to be awarded if a goalkeeper “controls the ball with the hand/arm for more than six seconds before releasing it”.
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A statement released by the IFAB on Friday read: “The IFAB has unanimously decided to amend Law 12.2 (Indirect free kick).
"The amendment means that if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds (with the referee using a visual five-second countdown), the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team (rather than the current indirect free kick for more than six seconds).
"The following decisions were also taken at the 139th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The IFAB, hosted by the Irish Football Association (IFA) in Belfast, Northern Ireland.”
The new law, set to be enforced from July 1, 2025, will be used in the Premier League, which could potentially cause problems for ‘keepers throughout the top flight.
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Fans on social media gave their thoughts on the law change.
One said: "I like this. Time wasting isn’t acceptable when you consider how much money fans need to spend to watch a game of football."
Another added: "What’s the point they never give them anyway. It's like the rule for when the are standing with the ball in their hands as they spend eight seconds on the floor with it first."
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A third explained: "Well that’s Raya screwed if he can’t sit on the ball to drain a few more minutes ."
While a fourth commented: "It's not punished now, but a corner is easier to defend than an indirect free-kick 8 yards in front of goal."
As a fifth exclaimed: "But you can take 90 seconds on a free kick and stroll over to the corner flag."
Topics: Football, Premier League
Luke Davies