In recent years, football fans have witnessed several innovations gradually introduced into their favorite league matches. The goal line technology, for example, has been a fairly revolutionary addition, not to mention the introduction of VAR, now present in all major leagues and competitions. This year, the trend is for extended additional time, with matches lasting over 100 minutes.
And it doesn’t stop there. As reported by the newspaper Marca, other major revolutions could occur in the coming months. They could be introduced at the next meeting of the IFAB – the International Football Association Board – in early 2024. One such potential revolution is the famous Wenger law, which could change the offside rule to allow the attacker to be positioned in front of the defender as long as they remain in contact.
Tests have already been conducted in some youth categories in Italy and Sweden, and it has been a success. The new rule would favor attacking football. That’s not all. The possibility of introducing temporary expulsions is also on the table. This would allow the referee to temporarily expel a player for a short period of time to avoid certain acts of unsporting behavior that do not warrant a full expulsion.
Another proposed change aims to reduce complaints and discussions with referees, with the possibility of only allowing the captain of each team to speak with the referee. This idea is very popular among referees. Finally, the IFAB is also looking for solutions to address the lack of effective playing time in matches. However, stopping the clock when the game is stopped is not under consideration. With so many potential changes, it looks like our footballing habits could be turned upside down in the coming months!
