Soccer’s global rule body adopts MLS time-wasting crackdown

FIFA Adopts MLS Substitution and Injury Treatment Rules Globally

The International Football Association Board voted Saturday to write two rules pioneered by Major League Soccer into the global Laws of the Game, marking a rare instance in which American soccer innovations have reshaped the sport worldwide.

The Off-Field Treatment Rule and the Timed Substitution Rule, both developed in MLS NEXT Pro starting in 2022 and adopted by MLS in 2024, will now apply to competitions across the globe and be on display at this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America. The changes take effect July 1.espn

What the Rules Do

Under the timed substitution rule, players being replaced must leave the field within 10 seconds of the substitution board being displayed. If they fail to do so, their replacement cannot enter until the first stoppage after one minute of play has elapsed, leaving the team temporarily shorthanded. The off-field treatment rule requires any player whose injury causes a stoppage to leave the pitch for at least one minute once play restarts. Both rules include exceptions for goalkeepers, head injuries, and other specific situations.mlssoccer

“Today’s decision by The IFAB is an important moment for the global game,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. “We’re proud that Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT Pro pioneered the implementation of these measures”.mlssoccer

The Data Behind the Decision

The numbers from MLS helped make the case. Injury-related stoppages fell 72 percent, from an average of five to six per match to 1.50. In 2025, 99 percent of substitutions were completed within 10 seconds — out of 4,346 substitutions across 510 matches, only 12 violations occurred.mlsnextpro

Ali Curtis, who spearheaded the rules as president of MLS NEXT Pro, said the impact was immediate when the league first introduced them in 2022. “Our objective was clear: reduce gamesmanship and improve player health and safety, without altering the integrity of the game,” Curtis said. “The results have exceeded expectations”.mlssoccer

A Broader Push Against Time-Wasting

The substitution and treatment rules were part of a larger package approved at IFAB’s 140th Annual General Meeting in Hensol, Wales. The board also authorized five-second countdowns for delayed throw-ins and dead-ball goal kicks, expanded VAR authority to review corner kicks and second yellow cards, and announced plans to address players covering their mouths while speaking to opponents. The Premier League had been testing a 30-second off-field treatment period, but IFAB settled on the full minute after reviewing data from MLS and a two-minute trial during last year’s Arab Cup.theifab