UEFA introduces strict time game rule for goalkeepers at U21 European Championship!

UEFA introduces strict time game rule for goalkeepers at U21 European Championship!

Slowakei, Land - The UEFA has introduced a new regulation for goalkeepers that aim to prevent time game. This rule is used for the first time at the U21 European Championship in Slovakia and requires the goalkeepers to hold the ball in their hands for a maximum of eight seconds after they have completely checked it and are not under pressure. If the time is violated, the opposing team is awarded a corner kick, which is a significant change in the previous rule, which resulted in an indirect free kick for the opposing team in six seconds. This rule change was approved by the International Football Association Board on March 1, 2025 and is now valid for all UEFA competitions, such as laola1.at reported.

A special feature of this new rule is that the referee shows the last five seconds as visible countdown. If the goalkeeper is pressed during the countdown, the game stops and an indirect free kick is given for the goalkeeper. These measures are intended to increase the gaming speed and improve the dynamics in the game, since the implementation of the old rule has hardly been enforced, as [sportschau.de] (https://www.sportschau.de/fussball/u21-em-em-schon-mit-neuer- Fuer-Torhüter, regel-zeitspiel-100.html).

Expansion to further competitions

The new time game rule for goalkeepers will not only apply to the U21 European Championship, but also from June 14, 2025 at the club World Championship in the USA. In addition, from July 1, 2025, this rule will be anchored in the globally valid set of rules. This means that they then apply not only in UEFA competitions, but also in national leagues such as the German Bundesliga to the Kreisliga D, such as Kleinezeitung.at reported.

The renewal represents a supplement to the rule 12.2, which has been valid since March 1, 2025. This thorough revision of time game regulations aims to make the game fairer and faster by defining clear and enforceable guidelines for the goalkeepers that promote the game flow.