Since this season, it's become a familiar sight on Dutch football pitches: referees now communicate only with the team captain or a designated outfield player, rather than engaging in constant dialogue with everyone. The rules body IFAB believes this rule deserves to be adopted more widely.
On Wednesday, IFAB the International Football Association Board, responsible for setting and updating the laws of football released a concise but impactful list of proposed changes to the rules of the game.
While the updates are not yet globally mandatory, the tone of the announcement leaves little doubt: IFAB wants football associations and leagues around the world to start taking action, especially when it comes to improving player behavior and the flow of the game.
At the top of their list is a rule already being tested in several competitions, including in the Netherlands the 'only the captain talks' guideline. Under this rule, only the team captain or a specifically designated player is allowed to engage in conversations with the referee during matches. This measure aims to reduce crowding around referees, cut down on dissent, and create a more respectful and orderly environment on the pitch.
While still optional in most leagues, IFAB made it clear that they hope this protocol becomes standard worldwide. In their statement, they said, "Competitions are encouraged to implement the 'only the captain' guidelines to improve on-field behavior." The implication is that the ongoing rise in player complaints, confrontations, and pressure on referees has reached a point where intervention is necessary.
Referees have increasingly found themselves surrounded by players disputing decisions, slowing down play and creating tense situations that can lead to cards or even altercations. By limiting communication to just one player per team, IFAB believes referees can make decisions with more authority and less interference, while also enhancing respect for officials at all levels of the sport from grassroots football to the professional stage.
The guideline is already having a visible effect in countries where it has been implemented. In Dutch domestic leagues, for example, referees have reported fewer interruptions and a clearer channel of communication on the pitch. Coaches, while initially skeptical about losing the ability to have multiple players advocate on the field, are beginning to see the benefits in terms of reduced chaos and improved discipline.
Another significant update centers around a long-standing but rarely enforced rule: the six-second limit for goalkeepers to release the ball. IFAB is now putting a clear penalty in place for violations. From now on, if a goalkeeper holds onto the ball for more than eight seconds slightly more generous than the original six the opposing team will be awarded a corner kick.
This change is a direct response to growing concerns about time-wasting tactics. In many matches, goalkeepers deliberately take their time restarting play, especially when their team is ahead. Until now, the enforcement of the six-second rule has been inconsistent, with few consequences. But with a concrete punishment like a corner kick which presents a real scoring opportunity IFAB hopes to deter keepers from exploiting the clock.
Critics of the change argue that corner kicks may be too harsh for a time-related offense, but supporters counter that time-wasting has become a chronic issue in the modern game, and only strong deterrents will bring about real change. Referees will also need to be diligent in counting the seconds fairly and consistently, adding another layer of responsibility to their role.
In addition to these headline changes, IFAB also introduced a small but potentially game-smoothing modification to the dropped ball procedure. In situations where play must be restarted with a dropped ball typically after an injury or an unintentional stoppage and it's obvious which team had possession before the interruption, the referee will now simply give the ball directly to that team.
Previously, the protocol required a ceremonial drop between two players, which often led to awkward or contested restarts. Under the new system, the referee acts as a facilitator, ensuring that possession returns fairly and quickly to the appropriate side. This change is expected to reduce unnecessary friction and promote fair play, especially in cases where one team was clearly not at fault for the stoppage.
All of these adjustments reflect IFAB’s broader effort to modernize the game while addressing persistent issues from sportsmanship to time-wasting to decision-making transparency. Though none of these changes represent a fundamental shift in the nature of football, they collectively point to a growing desire to protect the integrity and rhythm of the game.
As always, these proposed updates will undergo a phase of observation and gradual implementation. National associations can choose when and how to incorporate them, but with IFAB’s strong encouragement, it’s likely that more leagues especially in Europe will begin to adopt these guidelines in the coming seasons. Whether or not the changes will achieve their intended goals remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: football's rule-makers are not afraid to take proactive steps when they believe the spirit of the game is at stake.
