By Victor Kanayo
From next season, goalkeepers who hold on to the ball for more than eight seconds will be penalised by conceding a corner kick, following a rule change by football’s lawmakers, IFAB.
Under the current rules, goalkeepers are supposed to be sanctioned with an indirect free-kick if they hold the ball for more than six seconds. However, this offence is rarely enforced.
A trial allowing goalkeepers to keep possession for up to eight seconds has been in place in several competitions this season, with referees counting down the final five seconds using a hand signal.
“The amendment means that if a goalkeeper holds the ball for longer than eight seconds (with the referee using a visual five-second countdown), the referee will award a corner kick to the opposing team (rather than the current indirect free-kick for more than six seconds),” IFAB said in a statement following its annual meeting in Belfast.
IFAB also backed FIFA’s plan for referees to wear cameras during next year’s World Cup as part of live match broadcasts.
