Arif Efendi is an experienced business leader who takes a keen interest in the latest football news and events. This article will take a look at the new football laws and their impact on the sport in terms of protecting player safety.
The FA website has published a simplified version of the 2024/25 changes to help clubs, players, managers, referees and spectators prepare for the new season.
Law 1 – The Field of Play, stipulates that where goal line technology indicates that a goal has been scored, this can be communicated to the referee via a headset or earpiece.
Law 3 – The Players establishes that permanent concussion substitutions will now be available in all competitions. In addition, Law 3 also stipulates that each team must have a captain, who is required to wear an identifying armband.
Law 4 – The Players’ Equipment clarifies that players are responsible for the suitability and size of their shin guards, as well as containing a further requirement for the team captain to wear a compulsory armband.
Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct mandates sanctioning of non-deliberate handball offences, which incur penalties in the same way as fouls stemming from a challenge for the ball or an attempt to play the ball.
Law 14 – The Penalty Kick stipulates that part of the ball must overhang or touch the centre of the penalty mark. It also clarifies that encroachment by players will only incur a penalty where impact occurs, following the same principles as goalkeeper encroachment.
Guidelines for temporary dismissals – known in the sport as ‘sin bins’ – provided by the new rules specify that a temporarily dismissed player may return to the field of play only during a stoppage.
According to the International Football Association Board, the rules contribute to the safety and welfare of players, with the Board recognising its responsibility to react quickly and appropriately to support game participants. The inclusion of ‘additional permanent concussion substitutions’ has been incorporated in the new rules to prioritise the welfare of players with an actual or suspected concussion without causing teams to suffer a numerical disadvantage.
Recognising that accidents will inevitably occur in a fast-paced game like football, the International Football Association Board developed the new laws to help make the game as safe as possible, balancing sporting fairness and player welfare. The laws require referees to deal strongly with players whose actions are deemed aggressive or dangerous, making the laws easy to understand for newly qualified referees and those who only referee occasionally.
