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Players will no longer be allowed to approach the touchline to get tactical guidance from their coaches when goalkeepers are down injured during this summer’s World Cup.

The change is part of several new rules introduced ahead of the tournament, as revealed by FIFA’s head of referees, Pierluigi Collina. The International Football Association Board (Ifab) has now prohibited the so-called ‘tactical timeout’—a situation where a goalkeeper deliberately goes to ground for treatment, allowing outfield teammates to rush to the sidelines for instructions before the keeper quickly resumes play.

This practice has become increasingly common in football worldwide. One prominent example occurred in the Premier League in November when Leeds United manager Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of pretending to be injured to “bend the rules” and disrupt play.

Leagues have been encouraged to run trials throughout the 2026–27 season to find long-term solutions. Earlier this year, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States implemented a temporary version of the rule, which will now also apply at the World Cup.

Under the new regulation, when a goalkeeper is injured, players from both sides must remain in their positions or move to the centre circle. They will not be permitted to go to the touchline.

Match officials will be tasked with enforcing the rule. Collina made it clear, however, that players who attempt to speak to their coaches will not face yellow cards or disciplinary action, though all national teams have been briefed on the new enforcement.

“We held a workshop with all the coaches of the 48 participating teams,” Collina said. “Referees will be proactive. They will not allow both teams to approach the benches when a goalkeeper is lying on the ground injured.

“The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but players do not have the right to leave the field to have a sort of timeout with their coaches.”

Critics have argued that this rule only addresses part of the issue, as it does not prevent goalkeepers from going down simply to halt the opposing team’s momentum.

The impact of this rule at the World Cup may be limited, given that each half will already include a three-minute hydration break due to high temperatures—providing a natural timeout for teams to regroup.

“It’s quite strange that only the referee, physio, and goalkeeper stay on the pitch,” Collina added. “All the other players leave, and that’s not good for the game.”

Several other amendments have been introduced, mainly aimed at speeding up the game and reducing time-wasting. Collina hopes these will also help cut down on the excessive stoppage times seen during the 2022 World Cup. The new measures include:

Throw-in countdown (five seconds): If a player deliberately delays a throw-in, possession will be awarded to the opposing team.

Goal-kick countdown (five seconds): The same rule applies to goal-kicks. Deliberate time-wasting can lead to the opposition being awarded a corner kick.

Time-limited substitutions (10 seconds): Substituted players must leave the field within 10 seconds at the nearest point. If they fail to do so, the substitute cannot enter for at least one minute, forcing the team to play with 10 players temporarily.

Off-field treatment (one minute): Players receiving treatment must stay off the pitch for at least 60 seconds. Exceptions will apply to goalkeepers, certain injuries, or when the opposing player receives a booking or red card.

Players covering their mouths: Any player who covers their mouth during a confrontation with an opponent may face a red card. This follows a Champions League incident in February involving Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. Prestianni covered his mouth while arguing with Vinicius, who accused him of racist remarks. Though unproven, Prestianni later received a six-match UEFA ban for homophobic conduct. Collina explained, “If the conversation is friendly, they can continue without issue. But when it’s confrontational, covering the mouth could indicate inappropriate behaviour, and the sanction will be a red card.”

VAR protocols have also been refined for the tournament. Video Assistant Referees will now be authorised to intervene when fouls occur immediately before the ball is in play during set-pieces. This means that if an attacking team commits a clear foul before the ball is live and it directly impacts a goal, penalty, or disciplinary action, VAR can recommend an on-field review.

In a statement, Ifab said: “A clarification to the VAR protocol has been approved for use at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It applies to offences by an attacking player before the ball is in play at a corner or free kick that directly affect a goal, penalty, or disciplinary sanction.

“If the offence meets the specified criteria, the VAR will advise an on-field review. If the referee determines that the foul occurred before the ball was in play, the correct disciplinary action will be taken, and the set-piece will be retaken.”