Laws of the Game - Changes for Season 2026/27

Ahead of the 2026/27 season a number of changes have been made to the laws of the game and the way that Match Officials will oversee EFL fixtures.

The changes are designed to maintain the pace and flow of the game, apply a high threshold for penalising challenges, and take a robust approach to participant behaviour.

They include new measures to address tactical goalkeeper injuries and delays when players are substituted.

Substitutions

To minimise delays and ensure the game resumes quickly, players being substituted will be expected to leave the field within 10 seconds of the substitution signal being given.

Where a player exceeds the 10-second limit, the substitution cannot be cancelled and the substitute cannot be changed. However, the substitute will only be permitted to enter at the first stoppage after one minute has elapsed.

Exceptions may apply in cases involving injury, safety, security or safeguarding considerations.

Goalkeeper injury trial

A goalkeeper injury trial will be implemented across the Premier League, EFL, National League, WSL Football and some FA competitions during the 2026/27 season.

The trial is designed to address occasions where non contact goalkeeper injuries can disrupt momentum, slow the game down or create opportunities for tactical instruction.

As part of the trial, if the game is stopped or re-start delayed for a goalkeeper injury, the manager / head coach will be required to nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch immediately.  The nominated player is required to remain off the field for a minimum of one minute after the restart of play.

The trial will operate with a number of exceptions, including where a free kick is awarded for a foul on the goalkeeper and they immediately require treatment, the goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need attention, or the goalkeeper is bleeding. The aim is to ensure genuine injuries continue to receive appropriate medical attention while removing any potential unfair sporting advantage associated with stoppages.

English football will continue to monitor the trial throughout the season, alongside IFAB and other stakeholders, to assess its effectiveness in supporting game flow while maintaining the highest standards of player welfare.

Maintaining the pace and flow of the game

This season, match officials will focus on maintaining the pace, flow and integrity of matches by reducing unnecessary delays and minimising disruption tactics. Officials will be supported in applying consistent approaches to restarts, substitutions and injury management, while ensuring additional time is calculated accurately and fairly.

Goal kicks and throw-ins

A five-second countdown will be available as a time-management tool where players unnecessarily delay the taking of a throw-in or goal kick. Referees will determine when the countdown begins. Circumstances when the countdown can begin include, but is not limited to, situations where a player causes delay by:

• Slowly retrieving the ball
• Taking up an incorrect position at a throw-in
• Placing the ball in an incorrect position at a goal kick

Players will not be penalised if they are clearly in the process of taking the restart as the countdown reaches its conclusion.

For throw-ins, if an unfair delay continues after the countdown, possession will be awarded to the opposing team. For goal kicks, the consequence will be a corner kick awarded to the opposition, and yellow cards are only expected where excessive delay continues after the restart has been reversed.

Goalkeeper eight-second rule

The goalkeeper eight-second rule will continue to apply throughout the 2026/27 season. Once a goalkeeper has control of the ball, the referee will determine when the count begins and manage the process through a ‘clear control, count and consequence’ approach. If the goalkeeper exceeds the permitted time, a corner kick will be awarded to the opposition.

Hairpulling

Following consultation across the game, it has been agreed that:

• A clear and deliberate action involving excessive force and/or brutality will result in a red card for violent conduct
• A clear action without excessive force will result in a yellow card for unsporting behaviour
• Negligible, accidental or inadvertent contact with an opponent's hair is not usually an offence

Simulation

Referees will continue to take action where there is a clear attempt to deceive a match official.

A caution for unsporting behaviour is expected where a player attempts to deceive the referee by simulating a foul challenge or feigning injury.

Indicators of simulation include:

• Clearly no contact by the opponent
• A player clearly instigating contact
• Obvious exaggeration of minimal contact
• Clearly feigning injury
• Clearly embellishing contact in an attempt to influence a disciplinary outcome

High threshold

As the tempo and physicality of the game continues to evolve, officials will maintain a high threshold for penalising contact.

The focus remains on recognising that not every contact is a foul and not every foul warrants a yellow card, while continuing to protect player safety. Officials will assess the degree of contact, the consequence of that contact and the actions of both the defender and attacker when making decisions.

Handball

Officials will continue with a "less is more" approach to handball. Not every touch of a player's hand or arm with the ball constitutes an offence, referees will assess arm position in relation to body movement and the overall context of the actions. Players are not expected to move with their arms by their side or behind their back when it is not a normal expectation to play in that way.

Factors indicating a handball offence may include:

• Deliberate movement of the arm towards the ball
• Clear additional arm movement towards the ball after normal contact between arm and ball
• An arm position that makes the body unnaturally bigger in an unjustifiable way

Mitigating factors include:

• Justifiable position or action
• Supporting arm when a player falls to the ground
• Ball played onto a player's own arm
• Deflection from the same player when the ball takes a clear trajectory change before hitting the arm
• Ball played by a teammate
• Proximity to the ball when struck

Holding

Similarly, holding remains a key area of focus for the 2026/27 season. Officials will look to identify offences where there is clear holding action which either has a material impact on an opponent's ability to play or challenge for the ball, or involves an obvious non-footballing action.

Particular consideration will be given to:

• Use of both arms to hold
• Clear sustained shirt pulling
• Players focusing solely on their opponent rather than the ball
• Actions that clearly prevent an opponent from competing fairly
• Non-footballing holding actions

Mutual holding and non-impactful contact will not automatically be penalised.

Participant Behaviour

Match officials will continue to be empowered by the game to take a robust approach to unacceptable behaviour from players and technical area occupants.

The objective remains to support officials in managing matches with authority while ensuring behaviour that crosses the line of acceptability is addressed appropriately.

Referees and captains are encouraged to use the ‘Captains Only’ approach to facilitate positive engagement on the field and to assist in the management of the game, promote fair play and create a sporting environment.

In incidents involving discrimination, where discrimination is witnessed by the referee, a red card will be issued. Where an allegation is made, the appropriate reporting protocols will be followed. The competition-option Law relating to players covering their mouth being issued a red card in confrontational situations where an allegation of discriminatory comments is made will not apply.

https://www.efl.com/news/2026/july/29/laws-of-the-game-changes/