English football is set to trial a new measure aimed at eliminating the controversial practice of goalkeepers feigning injury to create tactical timeouts.
The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women’s Super League have all agreed on the trial, with permission granted by the International Football Association Board (Ifab).
Pro Ref, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, held discussions with the leagues to determine the best way to tackle the issue before settling on the current approach.
Under the new rule, if a referee signals for the physio to treat a goalkeeper, the team’s coach has 10 seconds to nominate an outfield player to temporarily leave the pitch for one minute after play restarts.
The nominated player’s name must be communicated to the fourth official within that 10-second window, or the captain will automatically be required to leave the field.
The first competitive match to feature the trial will be the Carabao Cup preliminary round tie between Tranmere and Rochdale on Saturday.
The tactic of using goalkeeper treatment as an unofficial team timeout has grown increasingly common and controversial in recent seasons, frustrating opponents and supporters alike.
It has not been uncommon for a keeper to sit on the turf and signal for the physio while all other players rush to the technical area to receive instructions from the coaching staff.
In November, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to “bend the rules” and break up play.
The practice has also been widely used to disrupt opposition momentum at critical stages of matches, particularly in the closing minutes when teams look to protect a lead.
At Ifab’s AGM in February, head of referees Pierluigi Collina stated that finding a solution to the goalkeeper tactical timeout was a clear priority for the game’s lawmakers.
At the 2026 World Cup, Collina instructed officials to prevent players from approaching the technical area during all stoppages, though the effectiveness of that measure remained debatable.
English football ultimately felt that simply stopping players from visiting the touchline would not be enough to deter coaches from exploiting goalkeeper injuries as a tactical tool.
The new trial follows the same logic already applied to outfield players, who must themselves leave the pitch for one minute when the physio is called on to treat them.
Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy had called for exactly this kind of change last season, arguing it would close the loophole fairly and efficiently.
“I think they can change it really quickly,” Murphy said. “If a keeper goes down injured, instead of him having to go off, one of the outfield players should go off then it’s fair all round.”
“It’s a little change that makes a world of difference,” Murphy added, with English football’s governing bodies appearing to have taken note of the sentiment.
Officials will not physically prevent players from approaching the touchline during treatment, but the prospect of competing with 10 players for a minute is expected to serve as a strong deterrent.
Several exemptions have been built into the rule, including situations where the goalkeeper did not cause the stoppage, where there has been a collision, a foul on the keeper, bleeding, or a serious injury requiring substitution.
The results of the trials will be assessed by Ifab throughout the season, with findings potentially leading to a permanent global law change from the 2027-28 campaign.
