Football's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), are set to debate a proposal to replace the traditional 45-minute halves with two periods of 30 minutes where the clock stops whenever the ball goes out of play. The move aims to address time-wasting and increase effective playing time, which currently averages under 60 minutes per 90-minute match.
Other radical ideas in Ifab's 'Play Fair strategy' include preventing players from following up on saved penalties, allowing free-kicks to be taken as a dribble, and introducing a stadium clock synced to the referee's watch. The document also suggests stricter enforcement of the six-second rule for goalkeepers and more accurate calculation of added time.
Former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola supports the 60-minute match proposal, telling the BBC: 'There are so many teams who try to take advantage of it because they are winning and wasting time – so I think it is not a bad rule.' Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech echoed this, noting that currently there are only 25 minutes of effective play per half.
Some proposals are already being trialled, such as allowing only captains to speak to referees, which will be tested at the upcoming Confederations Cup. Another change involves altering penalty shoot-out order to an 'ABBA' format, similar to tennis tie-breaks.
Additional suggestions include requiring substituted players to leave at the nearest touchline, allowing goal-kicks to be taken while the ball is moving, and awarding a red card for deliberate handball that prevents a goal. Ifab will discuss these ideas as part of efforts to tackle 'on-field issues' and improve the flow of the game.
