Referees at the 2022 World Cup followed a new FIFA directive, but the Premier League has no plans to follow suit when the domestic competition resumes.
The Premier League is not expected to follow FIFA’s stoppage time directive, which saw several World Cup games go into the 100th minute or later.
Referees in Qatar were instructed to stop the clock for celebrations, time-wasting, and other delays, resulting in some lengthy periods of stoppage time. England’s opener against Iran featured more than 20 minutes of extra time, owing in part to an injury to Alireza Beiranvand, while the second half of the final featured eight minutes of extra time before Argentina won on penalties.
The first four games of the tournament had a total of 64 extra minutes, as explained by FIFA referees committee chief Pierlugi Collina. Fans reacted negatively, but there appears to be no plan to implement similar measures in England.
“We want to avoid matches that are 42, 43, 44 minutes from effective time,” Collina said, according to France Info. “As a result, the times of substitutions, penalties, celebrations, medical treatment, and, of course, VAR must be compensated.”
However, the Premier League, according to me, will resist the temptation to do the same. Instead, it will follow current referee advice while maintaining its own rules.
During the World Cup’s lengthy stoppages, there was plenty of drama. Wout Weghorst scored in the eleventh minute of extra time as the Netherlands forced extra time against Argentina in the quarter-finals, while three of Iran’s four goals came in the 98th minute or later, including both in their win over Wales.
“In Russia, we tried to be more precise in compensating for time lost during games, which is why you saw six, seven, or even eight minutes added on,” Collina explained to ESPN ahead of the 2022 tournament. “Think about it: if you score three goals in a half, you’re probably going to lose four or five minutes to celebrations and the restart.”
While the stoppage time change is unlikely to be implemented, another topic raised by the England-Iran game may prompt a new measure. Beiranvand was forced to withdraw due to an apparent concussion, and I also report on proposed plans to test temporary concussion substitutes.
Currently, a player suffering from a concussion can be withdrawn without their team losing an available substitution, as seen in the final with France’s Adrien Rabiot. The new proposals, on the other hand, may allow players to be evaluated by medical personnel before being cleared to return to the field.
The Premier League is reportedly joined in its request to the International Football Association Board by MLS and Ligue 1. Temporary subs could be implemented in time for the 2023-24 season if approved.