New Laws of Football 2025/26

[rugbyblue]

Just now, Groby_Blue said:

Yep, a law could be introduced to say the game must re-start within 2 minutes of a goal, or something along those lines. 

 

The opposition kicks off after 120 seconds regardless of whether the side that have just scored are still dicking about in the corner. 

 

That would soon put an end to it. 

Great post.  Things have changed so much.  Remember gary Lineker scoring in the world cup semi final against Germany?  He got a kiss on the cheek from Stuart Pearce and they got on with it .  Nowadays its a choreographed dance routine for 5 mins for scoring in the league cup 2nd round 😂.

 

Disclaimer .....i may be exaggerating slightly 

[Lambert09]

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

I want to see proper punishment for time wasting. In particular the amount of time taken over goal celebrations. Easy to enforce.

With the way VAR has sucked out the enjoyment of celebrating, the last thing the game needs is any restrictions on that imo 

[Lambert09]

11 minutes ago, Groby_Blue said:

Yep, a law could be introduced to say the game must re-start within 2 minutes of a goal, or something along those lines. 

 

The opposition kicks off after 120 seconds regardless of whether the side that have just scored are still dicking about in the corner. 

 

That would soon put an end to it. 

This happened to me as a kid. We were 3-0 down against our rivals, came back to take the lead and everyone went mad, whole team sprinted over to celebrate with the scorer. Ref didn’t like it and let the other team kick off with out us and they just ran in the equalizer. 
 

Pure evil, so no I don’t like that rule haha 

[Merchant_Banker]

Ofsside Positioning?

 

If this was issued by the people enforing the rules I am not very confident they will be enforced accurately!

[Spudulike]

24 minutes ago, rugbyblue said:

Great post.  Things have changed so much.  Remember gary Lineker scoring in the world cup semi final against Germany?  He got a kiss on the cheek from Stuart Pearce and they got on with it .  Nowadays its a choreographed dance routine for 5 mins for scoring in the league cup 2nd round 😂.

 

Disclaimer .....i may be exaggerating slightly 

They also have to perform some twattish religious ceremony, do the pregnant thumb sucking ball up the shirt thing and pay homeage to some other cause by flashing a t-shirt. After which, the scorer is allowed to amble back to his own half whilst everyone waits to restart (or VAR to make their minds up). So bored of it all.

[Dan]

Wonder what October's rules will be.

[RonnieTodger]

1 hour ago, Bablemikey said:

Is it too much to expect that they could actually spell “offside”?

AI graphics for you

[Wymsey]

17 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

AI graphics for you

Personally find it hard to tell what's AI-generated and what's real - especially certain photos of people.

[fazzyfox]

The one where a goalkeeper catches a cross, often unchallenged, drops to their knees then just lays on the ball for an age, when that's challenged by a ref (usually only because they've been bayed on by the opposition crowd) the keeper plays the "injured" card to delay getting up and continuing (I won't say restarting, it's not a restart). Yes pitches are hard,  coming down from the air, landing on a pointed foot or bodyweight not evenly distributed, even without clattering into a burly CF, injury is possible but the cry wolfers who do it every time, even grinning as they do it, they're just going to cry injury, I don't know how officials will be brave enough to distinguish. 

 

Then there's the constant re-setting of goal kicks, remembering Pope (Nick, not THE) a few years ago absolutely taking the p***, Begovic when at Bournemouth, Pigford and many many others. "I'll take it from the left, no I'll take it from the right even though I never have done before, actually I'll call back a midfielder to take it because I don't fancy....no hang on I'll take it from the left after all...." 

[LadyFox53]

throw-ins never penalised for foul throw or not taken from the correct place, last minute substitutions unless a player is stretchered off waste time

[PAULCFC]

Yeah....Fowl Throws are a real bugbear of mine.....seems no one bothers with them any more!

[rugbyblue]

3 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

Yeah....Fowl Throws are a real bugbear of mine.....seems no one bothers with them any more!

[rugbyblue]

4 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

Yeah....Fowl Throws are a real bugbear of mine.....seems no one bothers with them any more!

And me......considering the grief we used to get at under 11 level for foul throws 

[PAULCFC]

Just now, rugbyblue said:

And me......considering the grief we used to get at under 11 level for foul throws 

Luke Thomas was accused of it last season,but there was nothing wrong with his........it's when players just put the ball somewhere near their head and chuck it,after moving 5 meters from where the ball went out!The Refs and Lino's really need to get a grip on this.

[PAULCFC]

7 minutes ago, rugbyblue said:

Let myself right into that........been a long day watching the Cricket!

[rugbyblue]

2 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

Luke Thomas was accused of it last season,but there was nothing wrong with his........it's when players just put the ball somewhere near their head and chuck it,after moving 5 meters from where the ball went out!The Refs and Lino's really need to get a grip on this.

Ive seen plenty from top professionals over the years.  I mean, there are worse things wrong with the game but im a bit anal with stuff like that.  Its the rules!  

[DJW1]

5 hours ago, J. James said:

Also, if this was introduced in football when the free kick was say 8 mts outside the pen area and the brats were mouthing off it then becomes a free kick in the pen area - a penalty?

Can't imagine there would be much verbal bullying in such a case. 

This rule was trialled in England a few years ago and worked very well (much less arguing with the ref)?. However UEFA thought it wouldn´t be enforceable in other countries and so it was abandoned here. I think when it happened close to the penalty area the free kick could only be advanced to the line.

Another new rule that disappeared was no offside from free kicks. I think it was trialled in the Conference but flopped.

[Stadt]

Defenders going down so easily when facing their own goal looking for a free kick needs addressing. They’re always given 

[Scotch]

Why bother changing the 6 seconds rule? It's not like it was EVER enforced. Ever! So what's the point in adding 2 more seconds? 

[Chelmofox]

6 hours ago, fazzyfox said:

The one where a goalkeeper catches a cross, often unchallenged, drops to their knees then just lays on the ball for an age, when that's challenged by a ref (usually only because they've been bayed on by the opposition crowd) the keeper plays the "injured" card to delay getting up and continuing (I won't say restarting, it's not a restart). Yes pitches are hard,  coming down from the air, landing on a pointed foot or bodyweight not evenly distributed, even without clattering into a burly CF, injury is possible but the cry wolfers who do it every time, even grinning as they do it, they're just going to cry injury, I don't know how officials will be brave enough to distinguish. 

 

Then there's the constant re-setting of goal kicks, remembering Pope (Nick, not THE) a few years ago absolutely taking the p***, Begovic when at Bournemouth, Pigford and many many others. "I'll take it from the left, no I'll take it from the right even though I never have done before, actually I'll call back a midfielder to take it because I don't fancy....no hang on I'll take it from the left after all...." 

Jakub did a great job of this vs Spurs away. Works both ways. And I loved him for it. 

[Sly]

12 hours ago, rugbyblue said:

It may ruin a few games at the outset with numerous yellow or even red cards but to my mind it will be worth it in the long run.   Footballers argue against almost every decision, even if its blatantly a foul or opposition throw, and its taught from an early age.  I remember our under 15's manager telling us to "put pressure on the ref, call for everything".

 

A culture change is needed from grass roots up and refs need to be supported by the f.a. If they dish out cards, even if it means superstars being sent off and  suspended.

Goodbye Bruno Fernandez! He’s be in the bin most weeks. 

[dsr-burnley]

12 hours ago, Hirsty The Blue 94 said:

Rugby is played 90% by privately educated posh toffs, where as football is largely a working class sport. Can you imagine Jamie Vardy calling a ref 'sir.' Refs at the top of the football game get paid enough to be called a naughty word every now and again.

At lower league matches you can get pretty close to the action, and at Keighley Cougars v Rochdale Hornets (that I went to recently) there was little sound of public school accents.  And I may be wrong, but I don't think Wigan and Hull Kingston Rovers are public school sides either.

 

I don't agree with your premise that footballers are too stupid to stop swearing while rugby players are intelligent, and I don't agree with your premise that rich people swear less than poor people.

[Silebyfox_89]

16 hours ago, Spudulike said:

I want to see proper punishment for time wasting. In particular the amount of time taken over goal celebrations. Easy to enforce.

This. Goal kicks and fake injuries too.

[LcFc_Smiv]

While not a rule change I'm aware they are going to make the physio come on for any player who goes down clutching their face, meaning they will have to go off for 30 seconds unless the opposition is cautioned. If the player declines medical treatment I believe refs will still send to serve the 30 seconds off the pitch as they have stopped the game for them to receive treatment. Head injuries are a messy scenario but it makes sense so me that if you ensured all had to be assessed/treated by medical staff you would cut down on the blatant cheating.

[Winchesterfox]

The amount of time-wasting, other forms of cheating, and dissent make football less enjoyable to watch, so I’m glad they’re at least trying to do something about it.  

 

In rugby they’ve dealt with it because the sport is governed better, they use technology better and they follow through on rule changes better, unlike corrupt FIFA, the incompetent FA and the craven Premier League.  
 

It’s nothing to do with the social class of the people who play the sport.