New law to tackle goalkeeper time-wasting approved

From this summer, a goalkeeper who holds the ball for more than eight seconds will receive a corner for the opposition.

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) held its annual general meeting in Northern Ireland on Saturday, and the new law will apply to Fifa’s Club World Cup, which will take place in the USA from June 15 to July 13.

Keepers should be punished for holding the ball for longer than six seconds, with the opposition receiving an indirect free kick, under the current law.

However, Noel Mooney, the CEO of the Football Association of Wales (FAW), claimed the six-second rule had “dissolved over time” and that the new law is anticipated to reduce time wasted.

Referees will also issue a five-second countdown to the goalkeepers before they are penalized, which has already been tested in over 400 games in three different competitions, including the Premier League.

Mattias Grafstrom, Fifa’s secretary general, stated: “We had the test, and the test was very successful. The referees [often] didn’t have to signal for a corner.