Casablanca – The Premier League will trial a new regulation designed to discourage goalkeepers from feigning injuries in order to slow down matches or allow their teams to receive tactical instructions.
The English Football Association (FA) confirmed on Monday that the trial has received approval from the International Football Association Board (IFAB), football’s global law-making body.
According to the FA, the initiative is part of a wider effort to improve the pace and flow of matches across the men’s and women’s professional game in England.
Under the new trial, if play is stopped because of a goalkeeper injury, the goalkeeper’s head coach must immediately nominate one outfield player to leave the pitch. That player will be required to remain off the field for at least one minute after play resumes.
The rule is intended to remove any tactical advantage teams might gain from unnecessary stoppages while ensuring goalkeepers with genuine injuries still receive appropriate medical attention.
The FA said the trial will include several exceptions, including situations where the goalkeeper is fouled, collides with another player, or is bleeding.
The initiative has been jointly backed by the FA, Premier League, English Football League, Women’s Super League Football, National League, and refereeing body PGMOL.
The first match expected to use the new rule will be the English League Cup fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Rochdale, before it is introduced across domestic competitions during the new season.
The goalkeeper injury trial forms part of a broader package of law changes for the 2026-27 campaign.
Following the introduction of the goalkeeper eight-second rule last season, referees will now also use a visible five-second countdown for delayed throw-ins and goal kicks. In addition, substituted players will have just 10 seconds to leave the field in an effort to minimize stoppages.
The new Premier League season begins on August 21, when defending champions Arsenal host newly promoted Coventry City in the opening fixture.
