Engeland's new rule forces field player off for keeper treatment
Engeland's football authorities, the Engelse voetbalbond FA, will trial a rule next season that forces a field player to leave the pitch when a goalkeeper receives medical treatment, a move announced after a photo of Gianluigi Donnarumma on the ground was credited to NurPhoto via Getty ImagesGianluigi and highlighted in a Google-favorietMet poll.
Under the new regulation, the coach must point out a field player the moment a goalkeeper is taken for treatment. That player cannot re‑enter the pitch until at least one minute of playing time has elapsed.
The referee allows the medical team onto the field, after which the coach has ten seconds to inform the fourth official of the designated player. If the coach fails to act in time, the team captain is removed instead.
The rule targets the growing practice of using goalkeeper injuries to disrupt the flow of the game, waste time or convey tactical instructions. Clubs have been accused of exploiting such stoppages to reset momentum.
The trial will commence on Saturday with the opening round of the League Cup. Matches in that round will be the first to enforce the new protocol.
Exceptions apply when a free‑kick follows a foul on the goalkeeper and treatment is required, when the keeper and a field player collide and need care, or when the goalkeeper is bleeding. In those cases the player may remain on the pitch.
At the World Cup, outfield players were required to leave the field for a minute when receiving treatment, a rule that did not cover goalkeepers. The English experiment now extends that principle to protect against tactical goalkeeper injuries.
The issue drew attention last season after Leeds United manager Daniel Farke criticised clubs, citing Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma as an example of abuse. Farke argued that teams should not be rewarded for time‑wasting tactics.
The International Football Association Board has approved the measure, and it will be applied to both men’s and women’s competitions. Implementation will be overseen by the FA and other national associations.