The new FIFA leadership and its president Gianni Infantino have begun work in the world's largest football community.
FIFA, together with the International Football Association Board (IFAB), has made a decision that will allow the use of video assistant referee technology to be tested. Initially, this technology will be tested behind closed doors, and starting from the 2017-18 season it will be implemented in national championships.
"We have made a historic decision. FIFA and IFAB are expanding and encouraging, not stopping, the debate on the use of new technologies in football. We show that we listen to the desires of all football fans and players," said the new FIFA president G. Infantino.
FIFA plans more changes in football in the near future. The most important one should be the replacement of the so-called "triple punishment" rule, where a player committing a foul in the penalty area not only concedes an 11-meter penalty kick but also receives a red card and has to miss the next matches.
Another change is planned regarding medical assistance. Currently, injured players receive first aid outside the field. According to the new changes, assistance on the field will be provided only if the injury is caused by opponents' efforts and they receive a yellow or red card.
One of the last changes will be related to penalty kicks. Currently, during a penalty kick, the ball can only go in one direction - forward. But according to the new rules, the ball can be returned back or kicked in any other direction.
The most important change could be the introduction of the "fourth substitution." FIFA has allowed testing the possibility of a fourth substitution when a match goes beyond 90 minutes of play.
