Football Introduces New Rule to Combat Time-Wasting

Football's law-making body IFAB has approved a new rule requiring injured players to wait one minute on the sideline before returning to play, aimed at combating time-wasting tactics. Currently, there are no specific rules about how long injured players must stay off the pitch, with leagues having the freedom to set their own guidelines.

The Premier League has operated with a 30-second rule since the 2023/24 season. Many in the football world have long called for a standardized rule to limit players' ability to simulate injuries to waste time.