Trial to curb goalkeeper timeouts pits fans’ boos against new rule

Trial of a new rule comes as Leeds United fans regularly booed a goalkeeper receiving treatment after Manchester City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma went down at Etihad Stadium, an incident captured by Getty Images. English football will implement the trial this season to eradicate the goalkeeper tactical timeout.

The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women’s Super League have all agreed to the measure, with permission granted by the International Football Association Board.

Pro Ref, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, discussed the issue with the leagues and settled on a rule that forces a team to remove an outfield player when a goalkeeper is treated.

If a referee signals that the physio may enter, the coach has ten seconds to nominate an outfield player to leave the pitch for one minute after play restarts, informing the fourth official of the choice.

If no player is selected within ten seconds, the captain must leave the field. The first match to feature the trial will be the Carabao Cup preliminary round tie between Tranmere and Rochdale on Saturday.

the Australian A‑League will trial a variation where the captain always has to leave the field.

The tactic of using goalkeeper treatment to gain a timeout has become increasingly common, with keepers sitting on the turf, signalling for the physio, while teammates rush to the technical area for a team talk before the keeper returns to play.

In November, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke accused Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to bend the rules and break up play.

pundit Danny Murphy suggested the loophole could be closed quickly, saying, "I think they can change it really quickly. If a keeper goes down injured, instead of him having to go off, one of the outfield players should go off then it's fair all round. It's a little change that makes a world of difference."

At IFAB’s AGM, head of referees Pierluigi Collina said finding a solution to stop the goalkeeper tactical timeout was a priority, and the trial could lead to a permanent law change globally from 2027‑28.

The contrast between fan frustration and a proactive rule trial highlights English football’s attempt to deter time‑wasting while preserving the flow of the game.