Sports
Football introduces new VAR, time-wasting and substitution rules for 2026-27 season
What happened
Football's global governing body has approved major changes to Video Assistant Referee (VAR), time-wasting and substitution rules ahead of the 2026-27 season. The updates aim to improve match flow and reduce delays, including stricter VAR protocols and clearer time-wasting penalties. The changes follow extensive trials and consultations with stakeholders.
Key facts
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body responsible for the Laws of the Game, approved the new rules on 14 August 2026.
Changes to VAR include a mandatory minimum intervention time for reviews to prevent excessive delays.
Time-wasting penalties now include yellow cards for deliberate time-wasting, such as unnecessarily delaying restarts or goal kicks.
Substitutions will be limited to five per match, with a cooling-off period of 30 seconds after a substitution to reduce time-wasting.
The new rules will apply to major competitions, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and domestic leagues starting in the 2026-27 season.
Context
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was introduced in football to assist referees in making correct decisions on key match incidents like goals, penalties and red cards. Time-wasting rules have historically been loosely enforced, leading to prolonged stoppages, especially in the final minutes of matches. Substitution rules have evolved over time, with recent seasons allowing a limited number of changes to maintain match integrity and player workload management.