Goalkeepers across English football could soon face a major deterrent against time-wasting after the English Football League and Premier League reportedly agreed to trial a radical new law that punishes teams when their goalkeeper receives on-field medical treatment.
Pending final approval from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the rule would require a team to play with one fewer outfield player for 60 seconds whenever a goalkeeper is treated by medical staff during a match.
The trial is designed to curb the growing trend of goalkeepers allegedly exaggerating injuries to waste time, disrupt an opponent’s momentum or allow managers to deliver tactical instructions during stoppages.
Under the proposed regulations, once a referee signals for medical staff to enter the pitch, the goalkeeper’s manager will have just 10 seconds to inform the fourth official which outfield player will temporarily leave the field after play resumes.
If no decision is made within the allotted time, the team captain will automatically be removed for the one-minute period. Should the goalkeeper also be captain, the designated outfield player nominated before kick-off will serve the suspension instead.
The new measure builds on previous law changes introduced to speed up matches, including stricter limits on goal kicks, throw-ins and substitutions ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
There are, however, several important exceptions. No player will be removed if the goalkeeper waves away medical staff, suffers a foul immediately before treatment, collides with another player, is visibly bleeding or sustains a serious injury or concussion requiring further medical attention.
The issue gained widespread attention last season when Leeds United manager Daniel Farke criticised what he described as tactical injury stoppages, specifically referencing Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Farke argued that football should promote fair play rather than reward teams for exploiting loopholes to gain a tactical advantage.
If IFAB approves the trial in time, the first match to use the new rule could be Tranmere Rovers’ Carabao Cup preliminary-round clash against Rochdale on August 1.
The Premier League is expected to introduce it from the opening weekend of the 2026-27 campaign, beginning with Arsenal’s season opener against newly promoted Coventry City.
The Women’s Super League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Championship, League One, League Two and National League are also expected to adopt the trial, while Australia’s A-League is planning a similar experiment with a slight variation that automatically removes the captain.
No other major European league, including La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga or Ligue 1, has yet committed to testing the new regulation, and it will not apply in UEFA competitions such as the Champions League.
Should the trial prove successful, it could pave the way for one of the most significant tactical changes to football’s laws in recent years, forcing teams to think twice before using goalkeeper injury stoppages as a strategic weapon.
