The Premier League will implement an unprecedented strategy to address interruptions due to “tactical injuries” to goalkeepers, starting in the 2026/27 season. This innovative action, validated by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), will be applied in all professional English football leagues from July 28, 2026.
According to the new guideline, whenever there is a stoppage of the game for medical assistance to the goalkeeper — with exceptions already defined in a protocol —, the team coach will have a period of ten seconds to choose an outfield player. This athlete must leave the field for one minute as soon as the match resumes. If the coach does not make the choice in time, the team captain will be responsible for making the temporary departure. The goal is to discourage the use of strategic pauses, eliminating the tactical advantage of interruption.
A experimentação será aplicada na Premier League, English Football League (EFL), National League e na Women’s Super League. The Football Association (FA) revealed that the change arose from a collaborative effort with managers, referees and tournament organizers. This decision was motivated by the increase in situations where goalkeepers simulated physical problems to slow down the pace of games or create an opportunity for tactical guidance to the team.
However, the protocol establishes some exceptions. An outfield player will not be forced to leave the field in cases of collision between the goalkeeper and another athlete, injuries resulting from fouls that require urgent care, suspected concussion, visible bleeding, replacement of the goalkeeper or any incident assessed as serious.
This experimental initiative integrates a broader set of actions to reduce game time lost in football. In recent championships, the sport has already implemented restrictions on substitutions, game restarts and other circumstances that used to delay the flow of matches. If the proposal is assessed as effective, there is an expectation that the standard will be definitively incorporated in the coming years.
