FIFA is moving toward a major transformation in managing game time. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the Referees Committee and a global authority on officiating, confirmed that in the upcoming Arab Cup, a new rule will be tested: “Any outfield player who receives medical attention must remain off the field for two minutes,” with the exception of the goalkeeper.
The measure is not random. According to technical reports from FIFA and IFAB, today’s soccer presents an alarming statistic. On average, of the 90 regulation minutes, only 50 to 55 minutes are actual playing time.
The rest is lost to stoppages, strategic delays, protests, and medical attention that does not involve genuine injuries. The new proposal directly targets reducing that margin of inactivity. The other exception to the rule will be if the injury resulted from a serious foul. In that case, the referee may allow the player to re-enter immediately.
As Collina explained, “If a player is truly injured, two minutes is not a disadvantage; if they are not, the obligation to leave the field will act as a deterrent.”
Collina, a leading voice in officiating, expressed confidence in how the measure will be received: “We need to protect the game and those who play it. This trial aims exactly at that.”
The logic is simple and compelling: if a soccer player is truly injured, two minutes is not a disadvantage; if they are faking or exaggerating, the temporary penalty will discourage the behavior.
The main goal is to increase effective playing time, restore the natural flow of the game, and combat a practice that has become common: stopping play to cool down attacks, break the opponent’s rhythm, or manipulate the match’s development. Collina was direct: “The goal is simple: to play more and waste less time.”
How the trial will work and what the directives are:
- The referee stops the game and allows medical staff to enter.
- After receiving attention, the player must leave the field.
- They may not return before two minutes of real time have passed.
- The team will play shorthanded while the player is excluded.
- The goalkeeper will be the only exception for functional reasons.
- The referee may allow immediate re-entry only if the injury resulted from a serious foul by an opponent.
Image: DiarioNY
