World Cup 2026: FIFA moves to end goalkeeper injury timeout trick

Players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be stopped from leaving the pitch to receive tactical instructions whenever a goalkeeper is being treated for injury.

FIFA referees’ chief, Pierluigi Collina, announced the new enforcement measure ahead of the tournament.

The move is aimed at ending what has become known in football as “goalkeeper tactical timeouts.”

Teams have increasingly been accused of using goalkeeper injury stoppages to regroup, receive instructions from coaches, break opponents’ rhythm and slow down matches.

Under the new measure, referees will stop players from moving to the technical area when a goalkeeper is receiving treatment.

Instead, players will be required to remain on the field of play while medical officials attend to the goalkeeper.

Collina said FIFA had already informed coaches of all 48 teams participating in the 2026 World Cup that referees would enforce the directive.

“We had a workshop with all the coaches of all the 48 teams, and we told them that referees will be proactive,” Collina said.

“They will not allow the two teams to go to the benches when a goalkeeper is lying on the ground injured.

“The goalkeeper has the right to be injured, but the players do not have the right to leave the field of play to have a sort of timeout with their respective coaches,” he added.

The issue has attracted growing attention in recent years, with some managers accusing opponents of using goalkeeper injury breaks to gain tactical advantage.

In November, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke accused goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of using an injury stoppage to help his team disrupt play and regroup.

Although FIFA’s measure is designed to stop coaching huddles during such breaks, it may not completely end concerns that teams can still use injury stoppages to slow down games or halt an opponent’s momentum.

Collina said referees would be responsible for managing the situation.

He, however, said players who move toward the technical area would not automatically be punished.

“It’s quite weird that there really is only the referee, the physio and the goalkeeper on the field of play,” Collina said.

“All the other players leave the pitch, and it is not good.”

The new approach will be closely watched at the 2026 World Cup, especially as matches will also feature three-minute hydration breaks in each half.

Those breaks will still give coaches a separate opportunity to speak to their players during games.

Meanwhile, the International Football Association Board has approved another officiating change ahead of the tournament.

The new VAR protocol will allow video reviews of certain attacking fouls committed before the ball is in play.