ICYMI: New rules that will be implemented from the 2019-20 season

The International Football Association Board had approved the changes in March, earlier this year.

The 2019-20 season is just around the corner and is set to herald another season of exciting and exhilarating football and a higher level of competence. But there are some new rules that have been introduced for implementation.

The practice of some of these rules seems far-fetched but here are the eight new rules coming into effect in the new season:-

8. Goal Celebrations

Earlier the penalty for goal celebrations were very specific in the sense that players who were provocative by removing their top in the celebration were penalized with a yellow card, but with the new rules in place it is termed that celebration of a goal which is disallowed is also liable to punishment.

A very harsh take on events given the player is already in disarray of the goal being disallowed and with the punishment to boot, one can only wonder how bad his day must be going? 

7. Handballs

Earlier on when goals scored via the arm of an opposing player were allowed as a goal for the scoring team citing the transgression on part of the opposing player being as unintended hand-ball. Well, that is not to be. 

With the advent of VAR, a goal scored via the ball being in contact with a player’s arm (even unintentionally) is not to be deemed as a goal.  Neither is the case acceptable when the ball comes of the hand of a player in an offensive position (despite being unintentional) and eventually ends up being a goal.

6. Scoring from a goalkeeper's throw

You won’t be blamed if you are left scratching your head at this but new rules state that a goal that might result from a throw from the opposing goalkeeper won’t be considered and rather a goal-kick would be awarded. 

A rather puzzling rule put forth when counting the fact that such an occurrence has never happened on a football pitch but rules are rules nonetheless.

Watch: The changes and explanation of the football rules

5. Goal kicks

Goal kicks are supposed to be the part that stimulates the action on the pitch with opposing players running towards any misplaced passes to gain one up on the team in possession. 

But a new rule has been placed in this regard stating that, the play in contention is commenced from the moment the ball has been kicked in a move to curb the voluntary action taken by defenders of intercepting the ball received from a nearby goal-kick in the penalty area to buy a foul from the referee for high-pressing opponents trespassing in the area, pouncing at the first semblance of opportunity. 

This new rule will facilitate equality of play in the final third for teams attacking the ball and for possession-based teams to start out quickly from the back to catch oppositions on the counter-attack. 

4. Goalkeepers' behaviour during penalties

New rules determine that for penalties, goalkeepers in line must stay rooted to the spot contrary to earlier times when goalkeepers would use varied gesticulations to mess with the penalty taker’s focus. 

Standing behind the line during penalties has been ruled out and one boot must always be in line during penalties, although the latter is subject to a debate regarding how referees would actually be able to determine the same during the game, goal-line technology to the rescue perhaps?

3. Drop balls

The habit of whacking the ball long and aimlessly to restart play after any stoppage in play was subject to much condescension from experts and fans alike. Hence the new change rules that the last team to have possession before stoppage will resume play having been given the ball by the opposition at the point where the play stopped. 

But the catch here remains that a play stopped in the penalty area will resume with a goal-kick despite the situations that might’ve arisen prior to the stoppage.

2. Walls for free-kicks

The rule states that “attacking players looking for the ball in the area aren’t allowed to be near the wall guarding the free-kick.”  This comes as a respite for free-kicks were oppositions were always nip-and-tuck in the box leading to mishaps and problems for referees to adjudicate decision properly. 

It would also mean that attacking players would get far more room in the box in order to create optimal situations for a goal.  

1. Substitutions

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Giving way to the earlier trend of substitutions that were a part of the scheme of teams leading a game by a goal or two to waste time in order to swap their players at the dugouts has been thrown out of the window. 

New rules state that players going out due to being substituted must leave from the nearest touchline in a move that saves time and keeps the game in the balance.