English Football Rolls Out 5-Second Restarts and 10-Second Subs for 2026-27 Season
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 14
English Football Rolls Out 5-Second Restarts and 10-Second Subs for 2026-27 Season
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 14
Summary
English football will apply a broad new rules package from this weekend, with 5-second countdowns for throw-ins and goal-kicks, 10-second limits for substituted players to leave, and expanded VAR checks in 2026-27.
The changes are aimed at cutting timewasting and speeding play after World Cup trials lifted ball-in-play share to 60.43% this summer from 56.86% in Qatar 2022, while avoiding huge added-time totals.
Substituted players who overrun the 10-second exit limit will leave their team with 10 men until the next stoppage; Middlesbrough's Will Lankshear was already caught by the rule in the Carabao Cup.
Injury stoppages also tighten: outfield players who trigger a stoppage must stay off for 1 minute, and if a goalkeeper goes down for treatment an outfield teammate must also leave for 1 minute to curb tactical pauses.
VAR will now review clear-error second yellow dismissals and some attacking fouls before set-pieces, while English competitions will not adopt World Cup-style reviews for wrong corners or mouth-covering confrontations.