As part of efforts to combat time-wasting during football matches, the International Football Advisory Board has announced plans to revamp stoppage-time rules, with FIFA World Cup-style added time in Qatar now set to go global after football lawmakers sanctioned plans to enforce it globally.

The decision was made at the 137th annual general meeting of the IFAB, a board consisting of the four British associations plus FIFA, at their meeting in London on Saturday, where football lawmakers debated on several rules of the game.

Stoppage time being a main point of discussion at the meeting, lawmakers adopted plans to reduce time-wasting in football, which could see 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup style, where double-digit minutes added during matches, come into effect in the Premier League starting from next season.

The new plan will ensure that match officials tightly enforce every minute wasted during matches in the added time, and we could be seeing 100-minute Premier League matches regularly starting from the 2023/2024 campaign.

However, the introduction of a countdown and a stoppage clock, which would measure overall ball-in-play time, was not adopted, with IFAB saying its goal is to reduce the variations in match lengths globally.

“We want to fight against time-wasting,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “The laws of the game are there, and we have to ensure the application of the laws of the games are universally accepted. We will monitor leagues all over the world. We are not changing the laws of the game. They don’t need amendments. We just have to apply them consistently all over the world.”

Meanwhile, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham had reservations about the new plan on stoppage time, highlighting two “fundamental challenges” that could ensue.

“There are two fundamental challenges. One is effective playing time is really variable. You can get as much as 25 minutes’ difference. So how do you reduce that? The second thing is to ensure no incentive for time-wasting,” said Bullingham. “What FIFA did in Qatar really helped both of those.” 

Also at Saturday’s debate, IFAB confirmed it would amend Law 14 of the game rules, which would prevent goalkeepers from using gamesmanship at penalties, the tactics employed by Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez during shootouts against France in the 2022 World Cup final.

The changes will see goalkeepers immediately booked for distraction tactics, and the amended law will read: “Goalkeepers must not behave in a way that unfairly distracts the kicker at a penalty kick or during penalties.”

Plans to trial “VAR light” was also announced by IFAB – it would enable countries and competitions who do not have the resources for the full VAR technology to opt for a cheaper and still effective version of the technology.

“A model will be explored around a video-review system which will allow matches with one camera to challenge a decision,” said Bullingham.

Meanwhile, moves for temporary concussion substitutions were again rejected, further solidifying the stance on the issue after the decision was earlier this year made during a meeting in January as the only permanent concussion substitution will be in place for now.