Five variations become the rule of the game

From now on, five changes per game per team is a written rule of football. The International Board has taken this decision. On the other hand, he will still have to wait for the semi-automatic detection offside. Use of this technology, “so far very satisfactory”, continues and “our experts will thoroughly analyze the question before deciding whether to use it in the next World Cup”, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced. The 136th General Assembly was held in Doha.

FIFA Referees Committee chairman Perluigi Colina said he was “convinced” about the technology’s use in Qatar next autumn. Tested at the Arab Cup in late 2021 and again at the Club World Cup in early 2022, this warp-supporting optical tracking system is expected to help speed up referee decisions. It uses broadcast cameras and other specifications to provide accurate positions of players on the pitch, providing accurate information in seconds to the referee. Once a decision is made, this AI-based technology turns the images into a 3D animation that can be viewed on a large screen of pitch.

The three to five changes per game in all FIFA competitions, which will become permanent on 1 July, respond to “the wishes of the players”, explained Patrick Nelson, head of the Irish federation (which is represented in IFAB) in English, Scottish and English. Welsh and FIFA).

This change in “Rule 3” of football was decided by Ifab in May 2020 in the context of the pandemic. The agreement was to last until the end of 2021 for club competitions and 31 July 2022 for international matches. The measure was extended until December 31, 2022, following a “comprehensive analysis of the current impact of COVID-19 on football”. In October 2021, the Defenders of the Laws of the Game left each competition the option of deciding whether to adopt five changes.

IFAB members have also decided to increase the maximum number of options on the match sheet “from 12 to 15 at the discretion of the competition organisers”, it reads. This paves the way for the next World Cup in Qatar to have a roster of 26 players instead of the 23 that many coaches desire.

The use of permanent amendments to deal with conflicts has been extended until August 2023 “in order to collect sufficient data to make a valid scientific decision”. Football’s governing bodies are also considering the introduction of a “light”, less technical and cheaper strike, which could affect a greater number of competitions.