English football to trial rule ending goalkeeper tactical timeouts

English football is set to implement a trial aimed at eradicating the controversial tactic of goalkeepers feigning injury to gain a tactical timeout. The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women's Super League have agreed on the measure, with permission granted by the International Football Association Board (Ifab).

How the trial will work

Under the new rule, if a referee signals for the physio to treat a goalkeeper, the team's coach will have 10 seconds to nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch for one minute after play restarts. The coach must inform the fourth official of their choice. If no player is selected within 10 seconds, the captain must leave the field. The first game to feature the trial will be the Carabao Cup preliminary round tie between Tranmere Rovers and Rochdale on Saturday.

Pro Ref, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, had been in discussions with the leagues to determine how to tackle the issue. The solution follows the logic applied to outfield players, who must themselves leave the field for one minute if the physio comes on. It is intended to be proactive as a deterrent rather than reactive to a team talk as it happens.

Background and controversy

The tactic of gaining a timeout as the goalkeeper is treated has become increasingly common and controversial in recent seasons. It has not been uncommon for the goalkeeper to sit on the turf and signal for the physio, with all other players rushing to the technical area for a team talk. As soon as the coach has delivered instructions, the keeper gets up to play on. Goalkeeper treatment has also been used to disrupt the opposition's momentum when they are on top.

In November, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to "bend the rules" and break up play. Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy suggested last season that lawmakers could act to close the loophole in this exact way. "I think they can change it really quickly," Murphy said. "If a keeper goes down injured, instead of him having to go off, one of the outfield players should go off then it's fair all round. It's a little change that makes a world of difference."

International context

BBC Sport understands that the Australian A-League will trial a variation with the captain always having to leave the field. At Ifab's AGM in February, head of referees Pierluigi Collina said finding a solution to stop the goalkeeper tactical timeout was a priority. At the 2026 World Cup, Collina told his officials to prevent players from going to the technical area on all stoppages. However, English football felt that merely stopping players going to the technical area would not deter coaches from using goalkeepers to break up play, as three-minute hydration breaks in each half create a natural opportunity for a team talk.

Officials will not prevent players from visiting the touchline as an injury is treated, but it is hoped the prospect of playing with 10 players for a minute will act as an adequate disincentive, especially in the final minutes of games when teams trying to hold on to a result would use the goalkeeper to kill momentum. There are a few exemptions when a teammate will not have to go off.

Ifab clarification on mistaken identity

Separately, Ifab has issued a clarification to the mistaken identity rule after Fifa used it to book two players for simulation at the World Cup. Paraguay's Miguel Almiron and Switzerland's Breel Embolo both received bookings. Embolo was already on a caution, meaning he was sent off in the quarter-final defeat by Argentina. Ifab says that while the rule was well received and will be included in the detailed review of the VAR protocol, it "may not be used as such until that review is concluded."