DAR ES SALAAM: THE International Football Association Board, which sets the laws of football, has agreed to make some big changes starting July 1, impacting the 2026 World Cup.

Using the VAR to check corners will be a new option, while the core VAR protocol has now been widened to cover second yellow cards and cards awarded to the wrong team. The footballing world is divided on these technological intrusions.

As these rules trickle down, domestic leagues in East Africa, which lack the massive financial infrastructure to implement full-scale VAR systems, will have to adapt their officiating styles to mirror the global standard set by FIFA.

Tackling Time-Wasting Tactics

The IFAB also approved a package of measures to counter tactics designed to disrupt the tempo of matches. Though the physical issues seen this season from corners were not deemed serious enough to address, time-wasting is firmly in the crosshairs.

One major rule is the five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks. If the referee considers that a throw-in or goal kick is taking too long or being deliberately delayed, a five-second visual countdown will be initiated by the official.

If the ball is not in play at the end of the countdown, the throw-in will be awarded to the opposing team, while a delayed goal kick will result in a corner kick being awarded to the opponents. This drastic measure aims to increase the ball-in-play time significantly.

Streamlining Substitutions and Injuries

To further streamline match flow, substituted players must leave the field of play within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed.

• Players failing to leave in 10 seconds will penalize their team.
• The incoming substitute will be delayed until the next stoppage.
• This eliminates the slow, dramatic walks to the bench.

Where a player receives on-field assessment for an injury, or their injury causes play to be stopped, the player will be required to leave the field of play and remain off it for one minute (running clock) once play has restarted.

The VAR Debate Rages On

However, an injured player doesn’t have to leave the field if their opponent receives a card. Players who are injured and treated on the pitch after a foul challenge that resulted in the offender receiving a yellow or red card will not be asked to leave the pitch.

While VAR promises justice, critics argue it sanitizes the emotion out of the beautiful game. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, the success of these new directives will hinge entirely on the competency of the referees sitting in the video booths.

"Football is a game of passion, not just pixels. We must ensure technology serves the game, rather than the game pausing for technology," warned a veteran African referee regarding the imminent changes.