Before the World Championship – a FIFA rule that will bind the players

2026-06-01 20:03 © AFP

Before the World Cup, FIFA decided to update one rule.

The new directive will help referees combat goalkeepers simulating injuries.

From now on, if the referee sees that during the match a team's goalkeeper is requesting medical assistance, other players on the field must stay in their positions and are prohibited from gathering near the team's coaches.

This will eliminate "tactical timeouts" from the matches.

According to the head of the referees department Pierluigi Collina, all participants in the World Cup have already been informed about the changes, and whether this ban will become permanent will be decided after the tournament.