IFAB 5 new rules

On 2nd March IFAB come up with 5 new rules. Which will come into effect from 1st June the starting of the 2019/20 season. The rules help define association football and FIFA have subscribed the association. The rules talk about the game length, the size of the field and ball, the type and nature of fouls that referees may penalize, the frequently misinterpreted offside law and other rules that define the sports. There were many attempts to finalized the rules of football in mid- 19th century. In 1863 newly formed Football Association adopt the extant rules. Cambridge rules have influenced the rules at initial level but as time flew rules keep on getting amended and since 1886 International Football Association Board (IFAB) have been maintaining it.

Recently change rules are:

Handball goals:
Handball goals rules is the biggest change which had took place. Goals scored which have hit a player’s hand intentionally or unintentionally will no longer stand. Now on a handball needs to be a “deliberate” act but from next season, accidental handballs will also be penalised in certain situations. According to the IFAB an accidental handball will become an offense in the event of a goal scored directly from the hand/arm and a player scoring or creating a goal-scoring opportunity after having gained possession/control of the ball from their hand/arm will no longer be allowed.” Example, last month Sergio Agüero accidentally handled the ball into the net in Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Arsenal. However, the rule which protects defending players from conceding penalties or free-kicks in the event of an accidental handball will not change.

Time-wasting:
Next season will also see a new rule introduced which states that substituted players must leave the field of play via the nearest boundary line. That means players will no longer be able to casually saunter across the pitch to waste time in the dying stages of matches and must instead take the nearest exit.

No attacking players in the wall:
New rules also stipulate that attacking players must now stand at least one meter away from the defensive wall at free-kicks. This rule prohibits attacking players standing in the wall, a tactic increasingly employed in recent years. Attackers will no longer be able to try and confuse the opposing goalkeeper by hanging off the end of the wall and moving at the last second.

Penalties:
From next season onwards, goalkeepers will only be required to keep one foot on the goal-line when defending a penalty.

Miscellaneous:
Currently coaches, managers and other team officials only receive verbal warnings for misconduct but the change will see them receiving yellows and reds as players do. It will likely be similar to the EFL law adopted last year, where managers can also receive a one-game suspension. This is an updated and corrected version of this article. The first edition mistakenly referred to a rule in relation to penalties which will not come into effect.