Football’s lawmakers are reportedly discussing radical solutions to combat time-wasting which takes the form of goalkeepers feigning injury, with the prospect of an outfield player being forced off one such possibility.
This ploy has been used by an ever-growing raft of teams since it was made mandatory for any outfield player receiving medical treatment to then leave the field for 30 seconds. Goalkeepers are exempt from this measure, allowing these gloved figures to break up matches by dropping to the turf to require treatment, creating “tactical timeouts” to give managers the chance to impart instructions to their outfielders without any penalty.
Manchester City were accused of pulling off this trick over the weekend. Gianluigi Donnarumma received treatment in the second half of Saturday’s clash with Leeds United, giving Pep Guardiola an opening to talk to his team after they were left reeling by a strong burst of form from the visitors.
Guardiola denied any skullduggery and even if Donnarumma was hamming it up, he would hardly be the first. This measure is so widespread the game’s lawmakers discussed ways to combat time-wasting by these means “at length” back in October, stated.
IFAB, the International Football Association Board, and the Technical Advisory Panels (TAP) supposedly showed support for the proposal of having an outfield player spend 30 seconds on the sidelines if that team’s goalkeeper requires treatment. The sidelined individual would theoretically be nominated by their manager, creating all sorts of issues.
An alternative suggestion was the banning of players from going across to the touchline during these stoppages.
IFAB will likely bring this matter—and other proposed rule changes—up for further debate at their annual business meeting on Jan. 20, 2026.
