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Football's new rule: a five-second countdown
Since July 1, 2026, referees can count down five seconds at slow throw-ins and goal kicks, then give the other team a restart.
Football fans who watch a match this season may notice a new signal from the referee. When a team takes too long over a throw-in or a goal kick, the referee can raise one hand and count down five seconds that everyone can see. If the ball is still not in play when the count ends, the other team gets a restart instead.
This rule is part of the new edition of the Laws of the Game, which came into effect on July 1, 2026. Only one body can change the Laws: the International Football Association Board, known as IFAB. Its members are FIFA and the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. IFAB approved the change at its annual general meeting, which was held in Hensol, Wales, on February 28, 2026. At the time, it said that the new measures would also be used at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Từ vựng trong bài
Sự đếm ngược: đếm lùi, ví dụ từ năm xuống một, để cho thấy còn bao nhiêu thời gian trước khi một việc phải xảy ra.
The countdown begins only when the referee decides that a team is delaying a throw-in on purpose.