Premier League confirms nine rule changes for 2026/27 season, including expanded VAR powers

The Premier League will introduce nine new rules for the 2026/27 season, with changes designed to reduce time-wasting and broaden the scope of VAR, beginning with the season opener between champions Arsenal and newly-promoted Coventry City.

Several of the regulations mirror those trialled at the 2026 World Cup in North America, where the ball was in play for just over 60 minutes on average — a notable improvement on the 57 minutes recorded at Qatar 2022.

Throw-ins and goal-kicks

Players will have five seconds to take a throw-in, or possession will be handed to the opposition. Long throws used as set-piece routines are exempt. Goalkeepers face the same five-second limit on goal-kicks; failure to comply will result in a corner being awarded to the attacking side.

Players going down and substitutions

Any player who drops to the ground to stop play — without having been fouled and without a card being shown to the offending player — must leave the pitch, regardless of whether they have been seen by a physio. Substituted players must now leave the field within 10 seconds; if they do not, the incoming replacement must wait a full minute before entering.

Goalkeeper timeout

The practice of goalkeepers feigning injury to waste time has also been addressed. If a keeper receives attention from a physio, the manager has 10 seconds to nominate an outfield player to temporarily leave the pitch for 60 seconds. If no decision is made within that window, the captain is automatically withdrawn. The rule does not apply if the keeper has been fouled or is bleeding.

Handball from a goal-kick

The handball rules during goal-kick routines have been clarified. Any contact with the ball during the routine will now be treated as the kick having been taken, meaning any subsequent handball by a player in the penalty area will result in a penalty.

Expanded VAR powers

Perhaps the most significant changes involve VAR. The technology can now be used to review second yellow cards that have been shown — though it will not be deployed to assess potential bookings that were not given on the pitch. VAR will also be used to check whether a foul was committed before a set-piece was taken; if one is identified, the goal will be disallowed and the set-piece retaken. Additionally, VAR can now intervene in cases of mistaken identity, correcting situations where the wrong player has been carded.