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Introduction
Goalkeepers who hold onto a ball for over eight seconds will be penalised with a corner for the opposing team.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved the new law at its annual general meeting in Northern Ireland on Mar. 1, 2025.
“Based on compelling results, at its 139th Annual General Meeting on 1 Mar. 2025, the IFAB agreed to conclude this trial and approved a change to Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct, keeping the main principles from the trial, with a corner kick being awarded to the other team when the goalkeeper controls the ball with their hand(s)/arm(s) for longer than eight seconds,” the global football body said.
The eight-seconds rule replaces the lame six seconds
The new law replaces the six-second rule, under which goalkeepers concede indirect free kicks if they hold onto a ball for more than six seconds.
The football body realised that referees found it challenging to implement the six-second rule because they felt an indirect free kick appeared harsh, coupled with the time required to set an indirect free kick.
The Chief Executive of the Irish Football Association, Patrick Nelson, explained that the six-second rule and its failure to be enforced had “been a bane of many people’s lives for quite some time.”
Although it was implemented in Premier League 2 in the 2024/2025 season and competitions in Malta and Italy, there are signs that goalkeepers see the threat of conceding a corner as a deterrent.
How does the eight-second law work?
When a referee notices that a goalkeeper has held onto a ball for over three seconds, he is instructed to count the final five seconds on a raised hand.
The keeper will then have no excuse for being unaware of the time limit for holding onto the ball.
If the keeper exceeds eight seconds, the referee is instructed to award a corner in favour of the opposing team.
When will the new law be implemented?
According to the world football regulator, the new law will be implemented globally on July 1, 2025, at all game levels, from elite to amateur.
“As with other Law changes, this is effective as of 1 July 2025, but competitions starting before that date may implement the change earlier. Competitions currently taking part in the trial may continue to use the relevant trial protocol until the end of the current competition,” IFAB said.
It will also be implemented at the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025.
Reaction to the new law
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Graftstrom said his organisation will use the new law at the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the U.S.
“We had the test [the new law], and the test [the new law] was very successful. The referees didn’t have to signal for a corner,” he said.
Also, the Football Association of Wales (FAW) Chief Executive Officer, Noel Mooney, said the six-second rule “dissolved over time” and hoped the new law would reduce time-wasting.
Reacting to the new law, an X user, @phychem11, wrote: “This [will] cause lots of controversy. Let’s say a goalkeeper collects the ball in a crowded box after a throw-in or corner kick. When will the 8 seconds start counting?”
Another X user, @XrpNufcFanRich, cautioned against implementing the new law to allow for clarity on the subject matter.
“Can we not wait [to] consistently get the current rules right first? I have zero faith in the current crop of Premier League referees to get this right,” the X user said.
Conclusion
Football governing bodies have until July 1, 2025, to implement the new law across all games globally to reduce time wasting. It is expected that some education will be carried out for soccer fans on the new law.
