It was officially announced that several updates to football rules that were supposed to come into effect at the beginning of the summer will start being used from June 25. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) approved these changes at the beginning of March, writes lrytas.lt.
These changes are presented on the official association's website and include four key rule changes. No, of course, football will remain unchanged - the ball, players, goals, referees, and spectators remain the same, but from summer it will be noticeable that the usual look and interpretation of known rules are no longer there.
The first rule change concerns handball. If a footballer scoring a goal unintentionally touches the ball with their hand or if the ball hits their hand and then goes into the goal, it will be considered a rule violation.
The second rule that was changed is especially visible in football: a substituted player now must leave the field not at the spot where the fourth official indicates the number of the player being substituted and the numbers of the players running onto the field, but where the touchline is closest.
This means the substituted player simply runs toward the nearest touchline, crosses it, and then the player being substituted appears on the field as required - with the permission of the fourth official.
The third rule change states that players from the team being fouled in a penalty kick cannot form a "wall". So, only members of the defending team will form the "wall."
The fourth change allows the goalkeeper attempting a penalty kick to only have one foot on the goal line, rather than both. This will provide him with mobility and better reaction to the kick.
It has also been confirmed that from summer, referees will be able to show yellow and red cards not only to players but also to coaches - if a coach behaves inappropriately, insults, or takes physical action against others. Another contentious issue has been resolved: if before the ball hit the referee and the game continued without stopping, now the match will be stopped, and a dropped ball will be given.
