FIFA Bans Goalkeeper Injury Tactics for 2026 World Cup

Kathmandu. During the 2026 World Cup football, other players will not be allowed to go to the sideline technical area to strategize with coaches when a goalkeeper gets injured. Pierluigi Collina, head of FIFA's Referee Committee, provided information on this matter. FIFA's Referee Committee head Pierluigi Collina has provided information on this matter. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has also approved a proposal to change the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) protocol, which will now allow for the review of fouls committed by attacking players before the ball comes into play. In recent years, 'goalkeeper tactical timeouts' have become a topic of much discussion and controversy in football. Coaches have used this to give new instructions to their players or to disrupt the opponent's game tempo and pressure. Last November, Leeds United coach Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of faking injury to disrupt the game and misuse the rules. In such a situation, the goalkeeper signals to call the physio while sitting on the field, and other players immediately go to the sideline to talk to the coach, and as soon as the coach gives instructions, the goalkeeper gets up and starts playing easily. Although IFAB has been studying this issue, no formal change has been made to the rules yet. To find a permanent solution, various leagues have been invited to conduct trials throughout the 2026-27 season. The USA's women's professional football league (NWSL) has already implemented a temporary rule in this regard earlier this year. According to that rule, if a goalkeeper is injured, players from both teams must remain in their current positions or gather in the center circle of the field. FIFA is also following this concept and is preventing players from going to the touchline. However, this rule seems to solve only one part of the problem, as it may not completely stop the practice of stopping the game to disrupt the opponent's rhythm. Collina stated that all participating nations in the World Cup must be aware that this is now prohibited. 'We had a workshop with the coaches of all 48 teams and informed the referees that they will be active on this matter,' Collina said. 'When a goalkeeper falls injured on the field, referees will not allow both teams to go to the bench. A goalkeeper is entitled to get injured, but players do not have the right to leave the field and have a kind of timeout with their coaches.' Whether this rule will be effective in the World Cup remains a subject of debate, as there will be a three-minute hydration break in each half of the game, which will automatically create an opportunity for strategic discussions for the coaches. The responsibility of enforcing this rule on the field will lie with the referees, but players who violate the rule and go to talk to the coach will not be given a yellow card or any disciplinary action. 'It looks really strange, which is not good, for only the referee, physio, and goalkeeper to remain on the field while all other players leave the field,' Collina added.